Mothers Day Gifts: 10 Creative Gift Pairing Ideas for Mom

In this post: Looking for ideas for Mothers Day gifts? These 10 creative gift pairing ideas will up your gift giving game for the moms in your life.⇒

I always love a merchandised gift.

I think perhaps it’s my fashion design background but when I give a gift, I like it to include several items within the same theme.

So, for instance, when I buy someone a handbag, I like to give a scarf with it. How lovely it will look tied around the handle! If it fits within the budget I might give a pair of gloves, too. And of course the colors are coordinated within a common palette.

This is all the more fun when gifting smaller items, which can benefit from being paired with a logical partner so that the two items together add up to a nicer whole. It takes an ordinary gift and elevates it to a more unique offering. If you’d like to give flowers, give them with a pretty vase that the recipient can keep, long after the flowers fade. For sweets, give a platter or dessert dish and for perfume give a mirrored tray.

Mother’s Day Gifts

The gift guide below includes 10 themed gift pairs, each with a feminine French-inspired feel. Most of the items would make lovely gifts by themselves, but as part of a pairing, they are even more special.

These would also make wonderful hostess gifts, or if you’re like me, you just might choose to buy them for yourself! 

Tea Sachets and Teacups

One of the great simple pleasures, fine teas often come in a charming tin. Find a flavor you like and pair it with a pretty china mug or a gorgeous vintage teacup. Want to spend a little more?  Just buy more than one cup.

English Bone China Pansy Chintz Mugs  

Harney & Sons Black Tea, Paris, 20 Sachets

Soap Dish and Scented Soap

I’ve always been a fan of scented soaps.  Add carved flowers and they’re even more enchanting. Match them up with a vintage style soap dish and you have the perfect marriage.

Rancé Gardenia Soapbox 6 x 100g

Vintage Wire Soap Dish With Glass

Linen Pillow and Linen Spray

Have you ever had the chance to rummage through an antique linen press filled with crisp white linens? Pick out an embroidered throw pillow with lavender stalks and team it up with a scented linen spray.

Lavender Ribbon Decorative Throw Pillow

Linen & Room Spray – Lavender

Dried Lavender and Urn

I chose dried lavender for this example because it feels so French, but you can create this couple with any flowers. Select a graceful urn and fill with flowers. Bonus points for French wording on the urn.

Ceramic Table Vase 

Lavender Dried Bundles – 18-22″ Long

Perfume Bottles and Vanity Tray

You can put this grouping together with vintage pieces or reproductions.  Use perfume or apothecary bottles in varied sizes and combine them with a mirrored vanity tray. 

Antique Oval Mirror Tray

Vintage Inspired Apothecary Bottles, Set of 3

Botanical Prints and Rustic Frames

A delightful way to decorate a room is with a tasteful mix of botanical prints. Search for a coordinated set of two or four and provide rustic frames to display them in.

Botanical Wall Art French Lilac 11×14

Reclaimed Rustic Barnwood Open Frame 

Candlesticks and Pillar Candles

Distressed and gilded candlesticks look timeless and make a wonderful gift. Group them with a set of pillar candles, whether scented, plain or even LED faux.

Distressed Wood Candle Holder, Set of 3

Unscented 3″ x 6″ Round Pillar Candle – Ivory, Set of 3

Cake Plate and Sweets

I love this duo for hostess gifts but it works equally well for Mother’s Day. Pair your preferred sweets with the vessel to serve them in, for instance macarons on a cake plate or a similar presentation.

French Perle Pedestal Cake Plate

16 Parisian Macarons Assortment

Cookbook and Kitchen Stand

Coffee table books make wonderful gifts and if your recipient is a cook consider a cookbook and stand. 

Monet’s Palate Cookbook

Rustic Tablet Holder or Recipe Holder

Garden Tools, Gloves and Hand Cream

For the gardener in your life pull together an exceptional pairing, in this case using 3 different items. A gardening tote with tools, and garden gloves, then finish it off with gardener’s hand cream.

Gardening Tote with Tools

Leaf Print Garden Glove

Gardeners Shea Butter Hand Cream

More Ideas for Gift Pairings

• Silk Sleep Mask + Luxe Pillow Spray
  Perfect for helping her unwind, this duo brings a little spa-like serenity to her bedtime ritual.
• Floral Notecards + Pretty Porcelain Pen Holder
  Pair a beautiful boxed set of notecards with a decorative holder (or cup) for her writing desk.
• Mini Jewelry Tray + Dainty Bracelet or Ring
  Tuck a small piece of jewelry into a delicate dish for a charming and functional gift pairing.
• Embroidered Apron + Gourmet Baking Mix
  Wrap a sweet, vintage-inspired apron around a canister of scone or pancake mix for cozy kitchen flair.
• Antique-Style Teacup + Specialty Loose Leaf Tea
  Choose a feminine teacup with a floral pattern and pair it with a fragrant, high-end tea blend.
• Decorative Candle Snuffer + Sculptural Taper Candles
  Elevate her candle game with a chic snuffer and a pair of artistic or pastel-colored tapers.
• Botanical Print Journal + Pressed Flower Bookmark
  This pairing is perfect for the reflective mom who loves to jot down thoughts in beautiful things.
• Velvet Throw Blanket + Classic Novel
  Create a cuddle-ready pairing with a plush throw and a timeless read in a pretty edition.
• French Market Basket + Bundle of Dried Florals
  Gift a lightweight woven tote styled with a bunch of dried blooms peeking out—perfect for display or use.
• Decorative Matches + Luxe Scented Candle
  Select extra-long printed matchboxes or glass match cloches to pair with an elegant candle.
• Facial Roller + Pretty Tray or Dish
  Combine a jade or rose quartz roller with a dainty dish to rest it on atop her vanity.
• Hand Cream Trio + Ceramic Catchall Bowl
  Tuck nourishing hand creams into a hand-painted or artisan bowl for a gift that’s both beautiful and useful.
• Floral Tea Towel + Wooden Spoon Set
  Wrap the tea towel around the spoon handles and tie with ribbon for a kitchen gift that feels special.
• Compact Mirror + Lip Balm or Gloss Set
  Choose a vintage-style mirror and pair it with a tinted balm in sweet packaging for a purse-ready treat.
• Decorative Bookends + Favorite Poetry Book
  Support her favorite reads with beautiful bookends and a slim volume of meaningful poems.
• Silk Hair Scrunchie Set + Cut Glass Jar
  Nestle a few pastel silk scrunchies into a vintage-inspired apothecary jar for her dressing table.
• Pressed Botanical Art Print + Frame
  Find a pretty floral print (or make one!) and place it in a delicate brass or wooden frame for instant art.
• Glass Perfume Bottle + Fragrance Sample Set
  Style a refillable atomizer or decorative bottle alongside a curated collection of sample scents.
• Foot Soak Salts + Vintage-Style Footed Bowl
  Fill a footed bowl with bath salts and wrap it up for a spa-like pedicure experience at home.
• Linen Sachets + Embroidered Drawer Liners
  Combine lavender sachets with pretty drawer liners to refresh her wardrobe with a soft scent and a touch of elegance.