Boston's Best Gifts For Mother's Day

Mom can sometimes be the hardest person to shop for. Luckily, Boston is full of places where you can track down the best gift for Mother's Day. Whether your mom is the sporty type or a girly-girl who loves to be pampered, Boston has something for every mom out there. Check out the great gift ideas from these local retailers.

For the bookworm mom
Harvard Bookstore
1256 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 661-1515
www.harvard.comWhile big box book stores like Barnes & Nobel seem to be going out of business, the Harvard Book Store is still going strong. The reason? While everyone is bemoaning the fate of the independent bookstore, the staff has done everything in their power to make sure their customers will keep coming back. Besides knowing every nook and cranny in the place, the staff recommendations at Harvard Bookstore will help you find the hidden gems mixed in with the well-known best sellers mom will love. If you're stumped about what to give the most important lady in your life, the staff pick will probably lead you in the right direction. And if you're shopping on a budget, you must check out the remaindered book section–the prices for brand new hard cover books in this area of the store often rival the used book prices you'll find elsewhere.

For the athletic mom
Bill Rodger's Running Center
Faneuil Hall Marketplace
353T N Marketplace
Boston, MA 02109
(617) 723-5612
www.billrodgers.comWhether mom is an every day runner or a once week Zumba queen, Bill Rodger's has the perfect athletic shoe, workout ensemble, or water bottle and sporty headband for her. The store offers exceptional service and equally exceptional products. Bill Rodgers carries a full line of Boston Marathon licensed merchandise that mom can wear proudly, whether she runs or just likes to watch the yearly event. Bill Rodgers also has the largest selection of Brooks Running gear in Boston. Is your mom both sport and eco-conscience? The Brooks Green Silence running shoe, a high performance sneaker made from recycled and sustainable materials inside and out, has been making news for its earth-friendly approach to athletics.

 Related: Boston's Best Golf Clothing Stores

For the mom who loves to be pampered
étant
524 Tremont St.
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 423-5040
www.etant.comÉtant hosts a luxuriously upscale surrounding with an inviting and unpretentious staff–a rare combination for a full service Boston day spa. Even better, étant offers a full range of services that mom will love. This day spa does everything from acupuncture and waxing to massages and facials. The prices are palatable and the service can't be beat. And luckily, if you have no clue how mom might like to spend her spa day, gift cards are also available.

Related: Boston's Best Family-Friendly Breakfast Spots

For the epicurean mom
Stir
102 Waltham St.
Boston, MA 02118
(617) 423-7847
www.StirBoston.comIf mom is a cookbook collector who loves watching the Food Network, Stir is the place to get the best Mother's Day gift for her. Besides selling the finest selection of cook books in the city, Stir takes things one step further and offers to-die for culinary classes for cooks of all skill levels. The classes generally run two days long, but are so jam packed with information, demonstrations and hands-on learning that mom will feel like a fully-trained chef when she's done. Students will find that they spend as much time tasting as they do cooking in the classes, so you might want to pair that trip to Bill Rodger's Running Center with your gift of cooking classes.

For the mom who has everything
Shake the Tree
67 Salem St.
Boston, MA 02113
(617) 742-0484
www.shakethetreeboston.comIf you have the mom who has everything, the mom who is impossible to shop for, or the mom who every year says, "Oh, don't get me anything," head directly to Shake the Tree in the North End and start looking. Be prepared to spend some time here, as they pack a lot of very cute things into this small shop, but with the variety and selection you are sure to find something. Shop for purses, scented candles, vases, hand lotions, cute dresses or handmade soaps–all of these things, and more, are at Shake the Tree. And if you are still truly stumped as to the perfect Mother's Day gift, Shake the Tree also does monthly events with other local retailers, so you can have even more of a selection than you began with.

Renee Mallett is the author of several books about art, culture, and New England. She was the owner and director of an art gallery and has written about arts and entertainment on a national level for several print and online journals. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.