With Mother's Day coming up on May 14, it's a great opportunity to celebrate the women who raised us, mentored us and helped us along our journeys. But these Mother's Day ideas aren't just for biological moms — these gifts and experiences are perfect for anyone special. Grandmas, aunts, teachers, friends, girlfriends and anyone who's made a difference in our lives all deserve their time to be recognized and doted on. 

Here, we've rounded up gift ideas for Mother's Day and beyond to let the special lady in your life know just how wonderful she is. From delicious gifts like Craig's Cookies and a curated box of local goods from The Gift Refinery to the cutest pink knife set from Zwilling, there's something here for everyone.

If your mom prefers experiences over gifts, you could always take her to one of the best restaurants in Toronto for a stellar dinner, a quaint and cutesy afternoon tea or a delicious brunch with bottomless mimosas to boot. Treat mom (and yourself, too) with these top-notch gift ideas for Mother's Day and beyond. 

17 delicious spring ideas for Mother's Day and beyond 

1. The Gift Refinery's Hello Spring Box

$149.95

Mother's Day ideas | The Gift Refinery's Hello Spring Box

We all want to support local, but sometimes it can be hard to find just the right local gift. That's why The Gift Refinery takes all the guesswork out of gifting. They carefully curate Canadian products from up-and-coming artisans, shining a spotlight on local creators, all the while giving back to the community with their Give Back Program.

TGR's new Hello Spring Box is full of beautiful, thoughtfully-curated items to help the eco-conscious mom refresh for spring and make more sustainable choices. East 29th's lightweight Valia Cleanser is paired with reusable cotton rounds, while the Guests on Earth Foaming Hand Soap Kit comes alongside two hand towels in a surprise colour (white, light blue or bone). She'll also get cute reusable bags, a Minimal Natural Fiber Bento Box and more. Purchase it as a one-time gift or as the start of a subscription that will remind her how special she is all year round.

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2. La Crema Pinot Noir Rosé 2022

$29.95

Mother's Day ideas | La Crema Pinot Noir Rosé 2022

Celebrate spring's imminent arrival with this fruity and fresh rosé from California. As barbecue season approaches, you'll need a go-to vino with awesome pairing ability, and this zesty blush is a great match with everything from charcuterie and salad to chargrilled chicken. Available at the LCBO starting April 29, 2023.

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3. Mother’s Day High Tea at the Castle

$75 per person

Mother's Day ideas | Mother’s Day High Tea at Casa Loma

What could be more elegant than a dainty afternoon tea in a castle? Bask in the beauty of Casa Loma while you sip on tea, bubbles, cocktails or wine. And practice not getting crumbs all over your lap while snacking on scones with clotted cream and decadent sandwiches like egg salad with white truffle on mini croissants. Other savoury treats include a blini with smoked salmon and lemon dill crème fraîche, and triple cream brie and porcini tartlets with whipped fresh ricotta. Shall we go on?

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4. Zwilling Now S 7-Piece Knife Block Set

$239.99

This cutesy pink seven-piece knife block set from Zwilling shows that kitchen tools can be *aesthetic* and strong at the same time. Whether mom is a pro in the kitchen or has been known to hold knives backwards, these stainless steel, lightweight blades are sharp, durable and a fresh addition to any kitchen.

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5. Saintly The Good Sparkling Rosé VQA.

$19.95

You don't have to ball out (in this economy?) on a good sparkling. Saintly The Good Sparkling Rosé VQA is a Provence-style bubbly from Niagara that's crisp and refreshing, with bright fruit notes — and it won't break the bank. It's nice to be overly sweet on Mother's Day, but we like our rosés extra dry.

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6. Mother's Day at the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto

$185 per person

Mother's Day ideas | Brunch dishes at dbar at the Four Seasons

This year, the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto is pulling out all the stops for Mother's Day. Their roster of events includes a brunch buffet in the Vinci Ballroom as well as a seasonal à la carte brunch at Café Boulud serving classics like blueberry buttermilk pancakes and cinnamon buns alongside foie gras and spring pea scarpinocc pasta. At the ever trendy dbar, guests can pop champagne and dig into the brunch menu of hits like Nova Scotia lobster eggs benedict, chocolate crêpes and a croissant au jambon. They're also offering an afternoon tea with delicate bites that's available for dine-in or takeaway.

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7.  Canvas cooler wine backpack by OUI

$31.99

Mother's Day ideas | Canvas cooler wine backpack by OUI

Practice chic picnicking with this insulated canvas cooler bag. The adjustable straps let you choose if you want to carry your bag as a tote or a backpack. This isn't your average "mom bag" — it's classic, compact and keeps your wine and emergency snacks from overheating in the sunshine

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8. Wine bottle and tumbler set by OUI

$51.99

Mother's Day ideas | Blue Wine bottle and tumbler set by OUI

Wine on the go, anyone? Enjoy al fresco afternoons and long beach days with this insulated stainless steel drinkware set. Our fave part? The wine bottle has a leak-proof screw top, so you can leave the finicky wine opener at home.

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9. Ladurée

Mother's Day ideas | Macarons on a tiered stand at Ladurée

Treat mom (and, let's be honest, yourself) to a cutesy brunch and bright mimosas or afternoon tea at Ladurée in Yorkdale Shopping Centre. The boutique and afternoon tea salon is primped and polished from head to toe, with a beautiful Tiffany-blue facade that makes it look like its own little house, but in the mall. The walls are lined with colourful macarons for days, setting the perfect scene for an adorable Mother's Day 'gram post.

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10. Pluck Teagram

$23.50

Mother's Day ideas | Pluck teas laid out in a pattern

Read the leaves this Mother's Day with a custom 'Teagram' from popular Toronto tea company Pluck. Choose from one of the 30 fully compostable, plant-based tea bags in flavours like Field Berry Green and Caramel London Fog. Then write a message, select your label design and Pluck will do the rest.

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11. Kim Crawford Rosé

$19.95

Mother's Day ideas | Kim Crawford Rosé in two glasses

This bright pink bottle has all the freshness and fruitiness we love in a rosé without all the sweetness. Made from merlot and malbec, it has juicy notes of grapefruit, red currant and red plum with floral hints. Pair this dry New Zealand rosé with fresh summer salads or grilled seafood.

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12. Carte Noire Extra Virgin Olive Oil DOP

$39.90

In case you weren't aware, there are so many different types of olive oil, we would need to build another pantry — err, house — to fit them all. Next time you reach for a bottle, make sure you're getting the good stuff. This oil is made using aggiasca olives that grow in the Riviera Ligure region and has delicate notes of almonds and fruit.

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13. Craig's Cookies

From $17

Mother's Day ideas 2022 | Craig's Cookies

Long before he opened his eponymous cookie shop, Craig first learned how to bake with his mom. Now, he serves over 100 different cookie flavours, all stemming from his mom's original recipe. So we couldn't think of a more fitting gift for those moms with a sweet tooth. Order a mixed box with flavours like apple pie, chili chocolate or toffee then pick it up in store or have it delivered straight to mom.

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14. The Toronto Flower Market

Free to attend

Mother's Day ideas 2022 | The Toronto Flower Market

Starting on May 13 and running one Saturday a month until October, the Toronto Flower Market celebrates Ontario-grown flowers and plants. Stop by to get a bouquet of beautiful blooms or take mom shopping through the floral wonderland on the grounds of CAMH. In addition to flowers, succulents and other plants, local vendors will be selling ceramics, planters, candles, sweet treats and more. 

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15. Super Magic Taste Chili Crisp

From $14

Mom's home cooking is (mostly) incredible, but a teaspoon of this crunchy chili crisp is an easy way to zhuzh it up to a new level. Super Magic Taste Chili Crisp is the perfect blend of onion, garlic, almonds, sesame and tamari with a gloriously crunchy texture. It's big on flavour without overwhelming spice. Add it to rice, chicken or practically anything else to turn an average dish into something special.

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16. Philips Smart Pasta Maker Plus

$334.98

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Homemade, fresh pasta is about to shift from "Oh, we should do that sometime!" to a weeknight staple. The Philips Pasta Maker Plus squeezes out perfect fettucine, penne, lasagna and more in minutes, with no hand cranking required. It's a bit of a splurge, but just think about all of the delicious, pillowy plates of pasta you'll get to enjoy... we're sold.

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17. Subscription to Foodism

Free

Mother's Day ideas | Foodism magazine delivered to your door

Shameless plug — later this summer, mom will be able to receive Toronto's largest food and drink magazine right to her front doorstep. Sign her up now for Foodism's free home delivery and we'll send her an e-mail when the program starts.

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