What to buy mom for Mother’s Day? I feel like throughout the year I see a zillion things that would be perfect for my mom, or aunts or special women in my life and then the week gets here and I usually I panic and start searching for something more ‘perfect’. But what really is more perfect than books and puzzles? This is kind of what I spend most of my free time doing, so maybe there are a lot of us who appreciate these things too. And a lot of these can still be bought last minute which is so helpful when Mother’s Day is coming up VERY VERY soon.
Galison Puzzles– I subscribe to their mailing list because they often have sales that are better than if I go in a store and they deliver right to my house. They have great designs and the puzzles are good quality. I especially like the designs by Gray Malin and Joy Laforme.
Apostrophe Puzzles- I was sent one of these to try out and I was even happier to hear this one is a woman-owned brand( even more of a reason to purchase one of these puzzles for mom). And I really like the way the pieces in the puzzle I have are matte, and not glossy and they feel really good quality. I’m currently working on this puzzle.
Target has a few beautiful puzzles you can probably get in time for Mother’s Day too. There’s this one called “Nurture” by the New Yorker, and this puzzle with a vintage Sunset magazine theme. This one is also vintage and has a National Parks theme.
We have a puzzle table similar to this one that helps me do my puzzles. (I’ve tried those little roller mats and they haven’t been very useful for me.)
And as for books, I recently read “Idea of You” and while it’s a steamy romance it’s also an empowering women’s novel with a 40 year old mom as the central character and the movie just came out as well. I interviewed Robinne Lee, the author in this blog post and I really enjoyed both the movie and novel (but of course I loved the book the best.)
I am currently “reading” Funny Story by Emily Henry and it’s such a good book. Most of my books are on Audible lately because I’m always driving and it helps me read more, and then I’m too tired to read because of all the driving but I think this one would be one that would keep me reading. I have also been listening to Caste since I just watched the Origin movie. This one is heavy but very pertinent to living in the United States and I think we all should probably read and watch this one. Counterfeit and Shark Heart are popular books that are probably much lighter reads and they are on my list that I want to read next as well. If Mom is the journaling type, this journal from Michelle Obama might be a good idea too.
In Seattle, a great place to find books and puzzles all in one place and in abundance is Elliott Bay Book Company and it has a fabulous selection of both and it is good to to shop local at a book store that has been a pillar in our community for a very long time. (Have you been to this bookstore, it’s absolutely dreamy. It’s also next to Oddfellows Cafe and across the street from Glossier. A trip here would be a perfect Mother’s Day outing too.)
(PS. if you are shopping Target online and are trying to make the free shipping, I often add chocolate covered freeze dried strawberries to my order and everyone in the family tries to make them disappear as fast as they can)
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Terumi Pong is a Seattle-based family travel writer and mom of twin teenage boys. She loves coffee and pastries, shopping local and looking for greener ways to live. She is also known as Scout’s mom (Scout is a 5ish pound little black yorkie-poo)
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