Mom's "Foolproof Guide to Mother's Day Gifts" Goes Viral

Mother’s Day is just around the corner (less than three weeks away)! And if the thought of gift-giving causes you to break out in hives or you’re a mom quietly hoping for something a little more thoughtful this year, one TikTok creator has you covered.

To help flustered dads and everyone in between, Dom Martin, a 26-year-old toddler mom, recently posted her now-viral “Foolproof Guide to Mother’s Day Gifts.” In the video, Martin runs through a slideshow of do’s and don’ts that moms everywhere are cheering for.

Do’s for Mother’s Day Gifting

Plan ahead.

“Do not wait till the last minute, you will regret it,” Martin warns. A last-minute scramble rarely results in a meaningful gift—from last-minute mugs to pink robes—moms can sense when something was picked up in a panic.

Make it personal.

“Think about what they really want,” she advises. That doesn’t mean you have to spend big—but you do need to show that you’ve been paying attention. A gift that reflects her current interests, hobbies, or self-care rituals will always go further than a generic one.

Pay attention.

“This is somebody who birthed a kid on your behalf. You should probably know what they like and what they don’t,” Martin points out. Listen to her in the weeks leading up to Mother’s Day—chances are, she’s already dropped some solid hints.

Dont’s for Mother’s Day Gifting

Head for the “mama” merch.

“If she wanted something that said ‘mama’ on it, she probably already bought it for herself,” Martin jokes. While sentimental gifts can be sweet, they can also feel lazy if they lack thought. Unless it’s her very first Mother’s Day, steer clear of the cliché.

Spring for cleaning-related gifts.

“It’s giving Cinderella. It’s giving ‘clean up after me.’ Not ‘I love you,’” she says. Even if she’s a neat freak or loves organization, anything that implies housework—vacuums, mops, or ‘fun’ cleaning gadgets—is a hard no.

Just search “Mother’s Day gifts” on Amazon.

“Anything that comes up on that list, I guarantee you—she does not want,” Martin says. The top results tend to be mass-produced and impersonal. Dig a little deeper—or better yet, start with what you already know about her.

Guess.

“This is someone you know very deeply and personally, you should know what they want,” Martin reminds viewers. If you’re still unsure, phone a friend, ask the kids, or check her recent likes or follows for clues.

Procrastinate.

“If you’re seeing this video, you have weeks to prepare…” she says. Translation: there are no excuses. Don’t let this be a last-minute dash to the gift aisle—she deserves more than that.

In the comments, moms sounded off with their thanks—and their wish lists.“Please lord god let my husband get me a Breville Touch amen,” one mom joked. “Things that say mama are only appropriate the first Mother’s Day,” another added. Someone else chimed in, “Also NOTHING related to the kids! It’s MOTHER’S Day, get something that’s ONLY for her (unless she explicitly and specifically requested otherwise).”

Others shared examples of how to get it right. “My fiancé goes through my makeup and perfume to see what’s almost empty, and replaces it. It doesn’t have to be hard, guys. Take the empty bottle to Sephora and let them do the rest,” one commenter shared.

Even the idea of a cleaning-related gift got a thoughtful upgrade: “My husband just had a cleaning company come in completely unbeknownst to me and they spent 3 hours cleaning my house including the baseboards. I cried. Best gift ever.” And of course, some moms got straight to the point: “Andres if you’re in here I just want a Pilates membership.”

Want to hit it out of the park your first time around? Check out these thoughtful first Mother’s Day gift ideas.