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Each week the Filter newsletter cuts through the noise to bring you smart, practical recommendations on how to live better – from what is worth buying to the tools, habits and ideas that actually last.
Mother’s Day is next Sunday. To help you find a truly wonderful Mother’s Day gift, we’ve recommended thoughtful presents moms told us they love (like this luxurious lip balm and a Japanese tea kit) that might just boost your status in the family to “favorite child.”
As a type A, firstborn child, I wanted even more creative ideas for making my mom feel special, so I asked two people much wiser than I am for advice – grandmothers.
Below, two internet-famous grandmas, content creator Shannon Nelson, and the co-host of the beloved podcast Excuse My Grandma, Gail Rudnik, have outlined their best tips for celebrating Mother’s Day.
Read the story: The 23 best Mother’s Day gifts, according to moms, grandmas and one great-grandmother
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Send the crappy flowers
For Rudnik, it’s the thought that counts.
“My son always sent me flowers. The vase was always broken and the flowers were always frozen. But I knew they were from him. Whether he was in school, even when he was married, I was always on his mind. It’s a very nice feeling when your children remember,” she said.
For a delivery option sans broken vase, our Filter US team has recommended these lavender flowers, which even come with chocolate-covered strawberries.
From $74.99 at 1800 Flowers ***
“Mom” is not a strictly biological identity
Nelson said that kids aren’t the only ones who need to make Mother’s Day plans.
“I’ve heard dads say, ‘Well, you know, she’s not my mother.’ But I think that’s a pretty good opportunity for a dad to give a nod to probably the outsized difference in the amount of work and effort that goes into raising kids. She’s not your mother, but she’s doing a lot of work,” she said.
Nelson also suggested reaching out to the other ‘moms’ in your life. Even a simple text to a maternal figure can go a long way.
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Tiny gestures can bring big delights
“You know what’s very cute?” Rudnik said. “I don’t know how to do it, but I get it all the time … the cute little things you send on your phone, those little messages… … where the birthday candles explode. I think that’s cool.” Remember: You can’t spell “gift” without gif.
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If you are in town … put on your chef’s hat
Both Rudnik and Nelson said they liked being cooked for by loved ones.
“My husband made Mother’s Day dinner for me one night. It was a can of salmon alongside some cottage cheese and a banana. The most memorable Mother’s Day dinner I ever had,” she said.
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Keeping the peace can be the best gift of all
“Try to be in a mood that honors your mom or your grandmother,” Rudnik said. She advised staying away from tricky subjects and added, Mother’s Day is just a time to be together for generations. It’s just nice sharing with the ones you love,” said Rudnik.
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Grandmother’s picks: the best Mother’s Day gifts
$14.75 at See’s Candy While one of Nelson’s favorite gifts was an electric golf trolley, she’s also partial to flowers and chocolate: “Something fragrant and chocolates. That does it for me every time. It’s not a golf trolley, but it’s enough,” she said.
$15.49 at Walmart
“I’m a candy freak,” Rudnik said. Her favorite? Candy Kisses from the drugstore.
$15 at Bombas
“Bombas makes some pretty nice socks,” Nelson said. In our holiday gift guide, we recommended this style in particular, which comes in eight colors
From $5 at Ulta Beauty “I would like a day at the hair salon. Having somebody pay for that would be a treat,” said Rudnik.
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Product of the week: Field Company No 5 pan
We recommend cast-iron pans as nontoxic and essentially indestructible - but they’re often heavy and unwieldy. That’s why we gave a five-star review to this skillet from Field Company, which Filter editor Karen Yuan said “fixed everything I hated about cast iron”.
The pan is now on sale for Mother’s Day – in case it’s not seared into your brain, Mother’s Day is next Sunday, 10 May – with a 15% discount if you use the code MOM15 at checkout.
“I previously covered food at Bon Appétit and have tried a lot of the cookware out there,” Yuan wrote. “Among its wrist-straining peers, this is the rare cast-iron pan that feels nimble. At just 2.2lbs and 7.25in in diameter, it’s light enough for flipping breakfast eggs with one hand, swirling sauces, or popping in the oven for a deeply charming Dutch baby.”
$106.25 at Field Company (with code MOM15) Read the stories:
Filter favorite: Sony Noise Cancelling Earbuds
Sony WF-1000Xm5 Truly Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds
$219.99 at Amazon After testing 42 different sets of wireless earbuds and listening to Fast Car to the point of exhaustion, Filter US contributor Simon Cohen deemed this pair from Sony the best overall.
“With top marks across sound quality, noise cancellation, battery life, and call quality, Sony’s WF-1000XM5 are perfect for just about every situation,” he wrote.
Read the review: I tested 42 pairs of wireless earbuds to find the best in the US, and I never want to listen to Fast Car again
Plastic-free living: Anydeli containers
If you’re a Filter reader, you already know that Anyday’s storage containers are our go-to plastic-free food containers.
We recently put its newest deli containers to the test - they’ll store everything from storing your boy kibble to reheating leftovers. And, like its glass containers, we awarded them five stars for their non-toxic, platinum silicon material and handy measurement lines that make meal prepping a breeze.
Anydeli Silicone Containers Mixed Set of 3
$46 at Anyday Read our five star review: ‘The perfect food storage finally exists’: I tried the new Anydeli plastic-free containers
Put to the test: laptop backpacks
A good laptop backpack can make or break your commuting experience. To find the best, we asked tech journalist Adam Doud to spend months walking thousands of steps to find the ones worthy of your dollar.
While his overall favorite was this pricier option from Meridian, he also offered accolades to The North Face’s budget-friendly model for its simple, yet roomy design
Read the story: The best laptop backpacks in the US – tested
Best of: e-readers
While we’re all for screen-free activities, including diving into a new novel. However, there’s something to be said for the convenience of an e-reader, which I credit for helping me read upwards of 50 titles per year
After trying out six different models, our tester, Jenny McGrath, was most impressed by this model from Kobo. She particularly loved its convenient access to Google Drive and Dropbox, large library of books, and personalization options. While originally $229, it’s currently on sale for $199.99.
Read our guide: The best e-readers in the US, for every kind of book lover
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