Mother’s Day is fast approaching, so we’ve gathered up a few of our top gift ideas to show our appreciation for the moms in our lives.
Homemade Cocktail
If you’re fortunate enough to celebrate Mother’s Day in person this year, seize the opportunity to shake up something sweet and refreshing for the occasion.
Boozy: Grapefruit Sbagliato, Citrus & Honey Vodka Club, Bridgit Loeffelholz’s Grapefruit & Aquavit Highball
Spirit-Free: Sin & Tonic, Grapefruit Celery Press, Sparkling Butterfly Pea Lemonade
A Good Book (or Three)
Whether mom is a cocktail novice or connoisseur, we think she’ll love these woman-authored cocktail books: Drink Like a Woman by Jeanette Hurt, who “shakes up barroom expectations, stirs up some new ideas, and pours a lively collection of feminist cocktails that are just as varied, flavorful, and strong as women are”; Good Drinks by Julia Bainbridge, who “strips away the tired tropes surrounding ‘mocktails’ and shows us just how exciting the world of non-alcoholic drinking can be”; and The Way of the Cocktail, “a rich, transportive guide to the world of Japanese cocktails” by Julia Momosé with Emma Jantzen.
Floral Liqueur
Spring is for florals and not just prints! Help mom celebrate the season with a lively liqueur full of fresh botanical flavors. St-Germain is undoubtedly the best-known floral liqueur on the market, but there are some great American distilleries producing unique floral-forward liqueurs that we love: a few of our favorites are Tattersall Crème de Fleur, Cardinal Spirits Songbird Flora, and Heirloom Creme de Flora.
Top Note Subscription
Great for highball lovers, party-throwers, and moms who enjoy keeping a well-stocked pantry. Gift a single-mixer subscription or opt for one of our variety pack subscriptions and make sure mom never runs out of Top Note.
Locally-Made or Vintage Glassware
Cheers mom in style with locally-made or thrifted glasses. For the mom with a penchant for fancy brunches and cocktail parties, consider also including a set of unique coasters, napkins or bar tools. Here in Milwaukee, we adore the selections at URSA and Mid-Century Meow.
Syrups, Shrubs & Garnishes
Give mom the gift of creative homemade cocktails with pre-made drink enhancers like cocktail cherries from Wood Orchard Market, craft simple syrups from Quince & Apple, shrubs from Siren Shrub Co., and Wisconsin maple syrup from Tapped.
Floral Arrangement or Indoor Plant
Maybe flowers aren’t the most innovative gift idea, but with a bit of extra thought, you can wow mom with a truly creative arrangement. If you’re in a position to hand-deliver your gift, pick up a fresh bouquet or healthy green plant from your local farmers market or plant shop. Here in Milwaukee, we’re fans of Maranta Plant Shop for moms with a green thumb and Flowers for Dreams for beautiful florals (which are also available for shipping in the Midwest).
Tea
You can’t go wrong with the gift of tea: it’s easy to find in stores, basically never expires, and the selections are nearly infinite. For great herbal teas, we recommend Urbal Tea, and Outwoken has unique caffeinated teas with a focus on sustainability. Even if mom isn’t a big tea-drinker, tea leaves make for an easy way to infuse flavor into simple syrups and spirits of all kinds.