Mother’s Day Stragglers: These Sites Have Super-Fast Shipping

Your mom always taught you that it was important to be prepared and plan ahead. If you’re not five minutes early, then you’re five minutes late — right? While many of the life lessons she imparted will stay with you forever, her exhortations regarding timeliness never really stuck. (As a wise man named Merle Haggard once said, “Mama tried.”) Remembering holidays are a particular struggle — but there's no way you’d ever let your mom find this out. Never fear, fellow procrastinator: we put together a guide to quick-shipping Mother’s Day gifts that will keep your put-it-off tendencies under wraps.

After doing a diligent scan of the internet’s speed-shipping options, the lesson we learned is that you can have it all. The retailers below all boast a trove of unique finds that will arrive by May 9 and earn you a gifting gold star. (Yes, even Amazon.) From a fanatically reviewed bathtub caddy for an at-home spa experience to a set of colorful handmade candles, there’s plenty in this list of stores that will keep your mom very happy — and very unaware that you clicked “Buy It Now” just a few days before her gift arrived.

We’ll start with the most obvious contender for the procrastinator’s gold medal. Whether you’re a Prime member or just a savvy shopper of the endless website, near-immediate shipping is at your fingertips with thanks to Amazon. If you’re not sure where to begin gift shopping, we suggest checking out their Amazon Handmade landing page, Mother’s Day gift guide, or just adding this top-selling reader-favorite to your cart. (We didn’t know that bathtub caddies were such a thing, but just read the reviews — this well-designed and sustainably made tray is a king among bath accessories.)

Think that quick shipping is reserved for big-box retailers? Think again — Etsy offers the option to sort your search results by delivery date, to ensure that the one-of-a-kind options that you’re browsing will arrive in time for the big day (in this instance, May 9). Simply plug in the category that you know will be a hit with your mom (“handmade soap,” “embroidered pillows”, “candles”, etc) and choose your “Estimated Delivery Date” from the drop-down menu.

Don’t think of flowers as an “obvious” gift — they can be the perfect, fragrant burst of cheer for the mom who (claims she) has everything. There are a number of online retailers that will complete a local delivery on a very short timeline.

If your mom’s speed is more houseplant than flora, there’s still time to get her a lil’ green friend to mark her matriarchal status. The Sill can get you a sprout, a sprig, or a fully-realized, grown entity if you order by Tuesday, May 4 and choose express shipping at checkout.

The beauty mega-retailer offers 1 - 3 day shipping on orders over $50, and boasts an endless selection of mother-would-love brands (RMS Beauty, Drunk Elephant, Tata Harper) that can arrive at your mom’s doorstep in a jiffy. There’s also a selection of gift sets that will pack a powerful (present) punch.

You — and me, and we — are all in luck: this beloved boho retailer can still deliver by Mother’s Day if you order by Tuesday, May 4 and select “Express Shipping” at checkout. Not only with Anthro get you the goods fast — they have a seemingly endless selection of gifts that feel tailor made for mom.

One of our readers’ most beloved destination for dessert gifts, Milk Bar creates edible masterpieces that will satisfy the most exacting sweet tooth. We think their new strawberry shortcake makes for a pretty stunning statement, but if a full-fledged cake isn’t your mom’s speed, you can opt for the bakery best-selling truffles or cookie tins with the same springy flavor profile.

The electronics retailer may not be top of mind for Mother’s Day gifts, but we spotted chic phone accessories, coffee-snob essentials, and of course, the perpetually crowd-pleasing digital photo frame among the scores of TVs and gaming gewgaws that the store is known for. Even better, they offer free two-day shipping on select items over $35.

Add a little sparkle to your mom’s day with a well-priced trinket from one of our favorite online destinations for shiny things. Most inventory is still available for two-day or overnight shipping via UPS (expedited shipping costs apply). Even better, the brand’s best-selling Alidia Ring is a mere $12 through May 9th with code “BB20”. (Along with, ahem, almost the entire site. Stack ’em high!)

It was your mom who instilled you with your current sense of evangelism surrounding Tar-jay — many a high-school weekend afternoon was spent wandering the retailer’s hallowed, fluorescent-lit aisles for Method cleaning products and dorm-room furniture. Your mom would love nothing more than to know you still appreciate the chic discount retailer’s wares — and you’ll benefit from their free two-day shipping on thousands of giftable items ($35 and up).

This purveyor of petite sweet treats is one of our go-tos for festivities of many kinds — each unique cupcake is like a tiny, edible treasure. Opt for 25 unique mini-cakes for the ultimate crowd-pleasing snack.