17 November 2021 by Calan

We did a questionnaire last week in which we asked over 1,500 mums about the most popular and educational toy, games and activities for children. During the same questionnaire we thought we'd take the opportunity to find out what gifts mums cherish most, and what they want for Christmas this year.

As Christmas and birthday's roll around it's often quite difficult to find a really special or meaningful gift for those close to you. Hopefully, the list we've created below will provide a little inspiration leading into the festive season.

We categorised gifts into the 6 categories below, with the numbers in brackets indicating the popularity of each:

  • Personalised Gifts (654)
  • Jewellery (645)
  • Products (639)
  • Experiences (444)
  • Clothing (216)
  • Childhood (78)

Mums cherish gifts made for them by their children, family members and close friends ahead of everything else. Personalised photo books, mugs, paintings and lockets are very popular. Jewellery is next with a lot having sentimental value, such as jewellery received on milestone birthdays, engagements, weddings and children's birthdays.

In terms of products, books easily top the list, including first editions and those with special meaning. Perfume, handbags, tablets, kitchen equipment and make-up are next, followed by bicycles and cameras.

Experiences are also very popular. Everything from Spa breaks, to days out with the family, holidays, surprise breaks and theatre tickets are all cherished highly, as is time off to relax.

Gifts received during childhood were less common occurances in the list, but those that were mentioned have significant sentimental value.

The lists below are an abbreviated list of select gifts mums cherish most, separated into the 6 categories.

Personalised Gifts (654)

  • Items made by my children (225)
  • Framed photographs /albums / books / calendar / collage / canvas (204)
  • Personalised gifts (54)
  • Jar of happy memories - cousin gave me a jar filled with unused post-it notes last xmas, i have been filling them out with each good event and storing in the jar. On 31 Dec, I will have memories to read about from the whole year
  • Ring with children's birthstones
  • 3d baby scan
  • A book/diary my husband wrote and got printed about my first pregnancy
  • A cup with a photo of my son on it
  • A handbag mirror with a photo of me & my daughter
  • Personalised handprint jewellery
  • Personalised pieces for Coca-Cola collection
  • Homemade stocking from my mum which is covered with garish decorations from when I was young
  • I cherish two cups that my sons gave me a few years ago
  • A painting of our first home together
  • A personalised apron
  • Album of photos of me at all different ages
  • An amazing dinner from my boyfriend on my 21st
  • Bead bracelet- beads picked by my children
  • Box of matchsticks chocolates (chosen paid for and lovingly wrapped up by my 6 year old)
  • Children's hand made tree decorations
  • Cup with my sons pictures on I got for Mother's Day I love it
  • Daughters fingerprint on a pendant
  • Daughters hand and footprint in clay
  • Family day at wildlife park
  • First scan and baby photo
  • A handmade patchwork
  • Hand on heart handprint charm
  • Hand print of my little boy on a bracelet when he was 6 months old
  • Handmade calendar of the kids
  • Handmade jewellery box
  • Handmade soap
  • Forget me not bracelet
  • Glass hand blown candle holder from my parents which signifies friendship
  • Homemade handprint kind of things
  • Homemade pot
  • Husband giving me my wedding perfume again
  • I've never got anything from the children but would Cherish a necklace or something from them
  • Knitted blankets from all grandparents
  • Locket necklace with my daughter's handprint in it
  • My mother's day mug with photos of my family
  • My pandora charms which relate to my little boy
  • New wedding rings after having first baby
  • Painting from my daughter
  • Patchwork heart made from my Dad's clothes (he passed away)
  • Personal gifts which involve memories or a finger/ hand/ foot print
  • Picture of our house from etsy
  • Thoughtful gifts like heart plaques with friendship quotes
  • The necklace given to me the first Christmas after my firstborn
  • Scrapbook - 21st bday
  • Scrapbook of my childhood
  • What's my name book

Jewellery (645)

  • Jewellery - type unspecified (210)
  • Necklace (93)
  • Watch (90)
  • Bracelet (+ personal engraving) (48)
  • Ring (sentimental - from family members, + customised engraving) (48)
  • Charm bracelet (+ charms representing my children) (45)
  • Bracelet (Pandora) (33)
  • Diamond ring (27)
  • Earrings (18)
  • Diamond earrings (15)
  • Engagement ring (12)
  • 3 pandora charms one for each of my babies and one to represent my wedding day
  • Bracelet with my kids thumbprints
  • Necklace with charms of my daughters hand and foot prints
  • My 3 proper pieces of jewellery from husband
  • Leather bespoke jewellery from my husband (he designed some of it so was thoughtful)

Products (639)

  • Books (141)
  • Perfume (84)
  • Handbag (66)
  • Kindle (54)
  • Ipad (33)
  • Kitchen equipment (30)
  • Make up (30)
  • Bike (27)
  • Camera (21)
  • Gift cards (18)
  • Bath products (15)
  • Fitbit (15)
  • Cosmetics
  • Art
  • Mulberry handbag
  • Music box
  • Bose headphones
  • Bose car speakers
  • Box set of chronicles of narnia
  • Dyson fan
  • Dyson hairdryer
  • Coffee machine
  • National Trust membership
  • Underwear but he never gets me this now we have kids
  • Wooden Christmas pyramid (turns when you light the candles)
  • Collectible teddy bears
  • Sewing machine
  • Thoughtful gifts and gifts that feel like I'm being spoilt, even if it's just a slightly more expensive hand cream than I would buy myself
  • First edition of favourite book

Experiences (444)

  • Spa break (96)
  • Day out/experience (+ family) (87)
  • Holidays (51)
  • Theatre tickets (33)
  • Time with family (27)
  • Time for me (27)
  • Family day out (18)
  • Massage (18)
  • Babysitter (15)
  • Memories (15)
  • Afternoon tea
  • Concert tickets
  • Cocktail making class with 6 close friends
  • Comedy night
  • Cup of tea in bed
  • Cupcake course
  • Dance course
  • Having birthday lunch with my hubby somewhere fab and getting hammered like we used to before we had kids!
  • Jet skiing around magnetic Island in Australia
  • Llama trekking day memories
  • Lovely meal cooked for me & no washing up
  • PJ day with hot chocolate and slippers
  • Sailing course
  • Memories made on Special breaks (northern lights/ice hotel/Disney Paris)
  • Seeing holiday on ice with my nan & siblings

Clothing (216)

  • Clothes (99)
  • PJ's (21)
  • Scarf (18)
  • Shoes (18)
  • Coat (15)
  • Slippers (15)
  • Boots
  • Ugg Boots
  • Burberry coat
  • A cashmere jumper/shawl
  • Hat and scarf - we were so poor that year

Childhood (78)

  • Doll from childhood (+ doll house)
  • Dog as a childhood gift
  • Teddy from 1st Xmas
  • 18th birthday present from my mum - a silver box called a life's charms
  • A blank notebook received when I was about 10 which started my love for writing
  • Car for my 21st
  • Carebear (Christmas age 6)
  • Childhood - large stuffed horse which now sleeps with my youngest daughter
  • Musical bear given on 1st Birthday
  • Original troll with light up eyes from my gran when I was 7
  • My slide/swing aged 5
  • Pink teddy from granny when I was 6 Months
  • Playmobil toys I received as a child They are still going strong with my kids
  • Sylvanian families collection (will pass on to my daughter when she is a little older)
  • A soft toy from when I was a baby
  • Crying doll at age 11 years