Mother’s Day falls on Sunday, May 14 this year and like many gifting occasions that creep up on you, it can spark panic buying and a less-than-satisfactory present. Don’t get us wrong – flowers and chocolates are always appreciated, and we know that finding an extra-special gift to thank your mum or stepmum for everything they’ve done isn’t always easy.
We’ve come up with novel ideas from independent Hong Kong businesses to help you out – and give the SMEs mentioned some much-needed support too. Be the favourite child and give your mother a gift to treasure.
Lok Man Rare Books — First edition & vintage books
If your mum is a bookworm, Lok Man Rare Books in Central, is a no-brainer. Looking more like a personal library than a retail space, the unique bookstore is a destination in itself. It specialises in first edition, signed, and rare books (from HK$1,000 upwards) and has something to suit every mum’s taste from vintage fashion, travel, and wine to classic literary fiction and photography.
Explore the collection online and then visit them in-person to purchase. Titles can be shipped worldwide and owner Lorence Johnston can also source titles of value on request. (NB: Father’s Day is on the horizon – Sunday, 18 June – so kill two birds with one stone and pick up a perfect present for him too, such as a first-edition James Bond book.)
Find them: 6 Chancery Lane, Central
R+R — Repurposed homeware & art
Modern design meets traditional craft at Claire Parish’s online shop R+R – an appealing mix of homeware, art, and textiles, many items of which have been rediscovered, recycled, or repurposed. Check out the iconic ginger jars for storing spices and herbs (from HK$319) in a range of shapes, sizes and colours, as well as other decorative ceramics, organic cotton Turkish towels (from HK$160), and pretty handmade table runners (HK$325).
Can’t decide what your mum might like best? Parish sells gift cards so your mama can indulge in some online retail therapy and choose exactly what she’d like.
Find them: Online store
Lion Rock Press — Curated Mother’s Day presents
Lion Rock Press is a treasure trove of Hong Kong-themed gifts and has curated a selection of inspired presents especially for mums. Top of the picks are stunning patterned silk scarves (HK$320); double-sided, 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzles (HK$280); and limited-edition soy candles, featuring the Hong Kong skyline (HK$250). Head to the shop in Sheung Wan or the website for these and other brilliant ideas.
Find them: Online store, Sheung Wan showroom, and Bookazine
Just Because — Gift hampers
Just Because has sourced all sorts of goodies, mostly from small, artisanal companies, and packaged them into enticing boxes. Think champagne gummy bears, fairtrade premium chocolate, scented candles, body creams, face masks, and drink infusions. The list is almost endless. Prices from HK$399.
Find them: Online store
TavernART — Signed cartoon prints
SCMP cartoonist Harry Harrison’s wry take on current affairs have amused and provoked for years. Online art store TavernART has a selection of Harrison’s limited-edition, black-and-white illustrations (HK$3,300), and coloured posters (from HK$4,500), all of which have been signed by the artist, that will no doubt put a smile on your mum’s face. The store also sells prints and canvases by other artists.
Find them: Online store
852 & Beyond — Hong Kong skyline print
We love The Line – City Skyline series from 852 & Beyond, silhouetted skylines of around 60 world cities that can be wall mounted indoors and out. Made from laser-cut steel, the distinctive Hong Kong skyline comes in several sizes in a black finish (HK$160/$340/$990) as well as 24K gold-plated ($450). An innovative memento of the city most of us call home.
Find them: Online store
Invisible Kitchen — Ready-made picnic set
Invisible Kitchen curates picnic baskets filled with freshly made canapés, sandwiches, a main, charcuterie, pastries, and macarons. You can choose the seven-course basic or vegetarian menu (from HK$395 per person). Order at least two days in advance and pick up your basket in Siu Sai Wan or have it delivered straight to where you’re picnicking (delivery available Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays). You can also keep the basket afterwards, so all you really have to do during the whole process is bring a blanket.
Find them: Online store or Unit 8, 24/F, Honour Industrial Building, 6 Sun Yip St, Siu Sai Wan
Jill Carter Photography — Photoshoot session
Treat your mother to a fast-moving day out – the result of which will also be something she can treasure forever. Photographer Jill Carter has multiple photo packages to choose from but her ‘Scenes From Hong Kong’ shoot (HK$5,900) is the most fun for families.
The shoot includes iconic locations such as The Escalator, graffiti walls, street markets, and the Pottinger Street steps, featuring trams and taxis, and starring your mum with her nearest and dearest (which hopefully will also include you).
Find them: Online store
Char Yoga and Wellness Studio — Singing bowl session/yoga class
There are all sorts of fabulous things to try at Char Yoga and Wellness Studio, a social enterprise offering yoga and holistic practices to empower women and cancer warriors. How about a singing bowl session, a meditation workshop, or an aerial yoga class? Perfect for giving mums a chance to focus on themselves. Classes from HK$120.
Find them: Visit their website or No. 50, 1402 Kwai Cheong Rd, Kwai Chung
The Happy Space Co — Professional organizing session
If your mum aspires to be a neat freak but is too busy to clear out her clutter, gift her a session with this professional organiser. Nassim and her team offers personalised solutions to revitalise your mum’s home and create spaces she will love to live in. From HK$6,500 for a six-hour session which includes a free initial consultation.
Find them: Online store
Originally from London, England, Adele has lived and worked in Hong Kong as a journalist/editor for more than two decades. She was a full-time staff reporter at the South China Morning Post for six years and continues to contribute to the Sunday Post Magazine’s Design pages as well as copywrite for private clients. When she isn’t writing, Adele enjoys wild swimming expeditions in the New Territories, trying (usually unsuccessfully) to play golf and is an unpaid Uber driver to her three sporty teenagers.
Header image credits: Anastasia Anastasia via Unsplash
