Mother’s Day is May 12. That means you’ve got less than a month to package a perfect present for the mother and mother figures in your life. Don’t stress, though. This area makes it easy to shop small and deliver big.
Self-care for the selfless caregivers
She’s been pampering you since you were in Pampers. Turn the tables by treating her to a waterless mani/pedi, purported to be more hygienic, at Keen. The Best of Arlington 2024 winner uses all nontoxic products and a house-made sugar scrub while pumping a carefully curated Spotify playlist through the sound system. Alternately, help Mom put her best face forward with the 75-minute Dream Deluxe facial at Azure Dream Day Spa, another Best of Arlington 2024 winner. The treatment includes microdermabrasion and an organic peel. Or, heck, give Mom a whole day off to take yoga workshops and rehydrate with CBD-infused tropical drinks and adaptogenic (mushroom- and herb-based) elixirs at Balian Springs, one of several destinations on our list of area spa and wellness resorts.
Bling for moms who shine
Whether you’ve got the budget for a big-time bauble or a fabulous faux, our area has no shortage of creative jewelers ready to help. Find fine jewelry at McLean Jewelers, a 46-year-old, family-run shop that also sells vintage pieces. And speaking of vintage, you could always turn an heirloom into something new with the help of Dominion Jewelers, a Best of Arlington 2024 pick, in Falls Church. Want to make it personal? Designer Lisa Mauer of Sister Sister Jewelry can customize rings, earrings and pendant necklaces, each of which she names after the woman who inspired the style.
Greenery for the one who’s watched you grow
A beautiful bouquet is a quintessential Mother’s Day gift, but that’s not the only way to show appreciation with flowers. Browse Botanologica, a boutique in Falls Church, for TikTok-trendy Pink Princess philodendrons or sign Mom up for a floral design class. Or help her find a new hobby in gardening. The Happy Hour Flowers caters to novices by providing step-by-step care instructions (and floral-inspired drink recipes) for the anemone, dahlia and ranunculus bulbs and corms they sell for planting. Note that Mom can still cultivate her own green space even if the great outdoors aren’t calling her. Plants & What Knot founder Christina Foy specializes in easy care indoor plants and explains how to help them thrive inside.
Family portraits for picture-perfect moms
We all know those posts on the ’Gram of shiny, happy families took a boatload of bribery, negotiation and pleading to achieve. But picture this: the perfect family portrait without the hassle. Photographer Matt Mendelsohn of Matt Mendelsohn Creative, a Best of Arlington 2024 winner, has a journalistic eye that captures candid moments (and posed ones, too) to create frame-worthy memories. If sitting pretty isn’t in the cards, send an existing photo to SketchfacesDC, caricature artists in McLean, who can bring out your family’s silly side. Another option: Commission an artist from the Arlington Artists Alliance to paint a portrait in watercolor or oil.
Boutique buys for trend-setters
Our area is home to many boutiques specializing in candles, bags, clothing, locally-themed swag—you name it—making it a cinch to find a great gift. For instance, brighten Mom’s day with the Taylor Clutch from Covet. (There’s no relation to Swift, but the cotton-and-glass-bead cross-body would be an excellent accessory to wear to one of her concerts if you were lucky enough to snag a ticket.) Paula Frishman, owner of Clarendon newcomer The Golden Fox recommends a large cosmetic bag from Bourbon & Bamboo that fits full-size bottles, hair brushes and anything related to that all-important skincare routine. The Preppy Pink Pony in McLean is a great option for ordering personalized stationery for moms who prefer pen and paper to keyboards.
Show her a good time
Take Mom out for a night—or afternoon—on the town with a trip to the theater. On Mother’s Day, Signature Theatre will present two performances of Hair, the story of hippie friends who face reality when one of them is drafted to fight in the Vietnam War. Be among the first to see The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin at Falls Church’s Creative Cauldron. The coming-of-age story of a Black girl in the 1960s debuts right after Mother’s Day, on May 16. Make Mom feel closer to fine at an Indigo Girls concert, coming to Capital One Hall in Tysons on May 11.