Mother’s Day is less than two weeks away (May 8th)! This is a great excuse for us to love on our moms and say a big THANK YOU for all the late nights, runny noses, hot meals, smiles, and encouragement they lavished on us throughout our lives. But what do you buy for the woman who has everything and who is often 3 steps ahead? Williamsburg, Virginia has no shortage of locally owned, boutique shops, which are just chock-full of unique and quaint gifts for every mom out there. After being in the hospitality and gift-giving business for 10 years, we have a few gift ideas ourselves! Here are our suggestions for some gifts for mom that are sure to please and where you can buy them in the Williamsburg area.
Specialty Teas – The Spice & Tea Exchange
Don’t settle for boring bagged teas! If mom is a tea lover, she probably would enjoy a specialty tea with some cute new tea brewing accessories. The best specialty tea shop in Williamsburg is The Spice & Tea Exchange. This quaint, local shop is located in the heart of the downtown area and offers a wide variety of exotic tea blends mom hasn’t seen before. Some of their best sellers include their Black Chocolate Tea and their Coconut Oolong Tea, but one of our favorites is the Emperor’s Chai Tea! With everything from traditional blends to dessert and fruity herbal teas, this is a one-stop shop for any taste. They also have tea accessories and pre-assembled gifts to make shopping easy.
Rare and Unique Books – Mermaid Books
Books of any kind are great gifts for mom! If you’re looking to WOW her, buy her a special edition of her favorite book or find a vintage or rare book in a genre or topic she enjoys. The absolute best place to find rare and unique books is Mermaid Books in the heart of downtown Williamsburg. This gem is located on the basement level below the Peanut Shop and carries every type book from vintage cookbooks, to beautiful copies of the classics. There is no alphebetic system here, so plan to come and browse. I guarentee you won’t leave empty handed!
Chocolates – Wythe Candy & Gourmet Shop
Candy and chocolates are a classic Mother’s Day gift. They are also a great option for a future mother-in-law or a “work mom”. Make it special by buying gourmet! Wythe Candy & Gourmet Shop is located in downtown WIlliamsbrug, right in the center of Merchant’s Square on the Duke of Goucester Street. They have over 20 different unique hand-made truffles, which they will hand-wrap, making a beautiful gift. They also have fudge, caramel apples, and lots of other treats they make by hand. The store also carries lots of other brand-name goodies.
Wine – Williamsburg Winery
The Williamsburg Winery has no shortage of Mother’s Day gifts to choose from. Tours and tastings range from $8 to $35, and have a wide sampling of their offerings, a delight for any wine lover. The Winery also has a gift shop, selling single bottles, wine cases, wine accessories, and specialty foods.
Stationary – Partlett’s Paper Expressions
Does mom like to send hand-written letters and cards? Williamsburg also has a great specialty paper store! In the New Town Shopping center, about 5 minutes from downtown, is Partlett’s Paper Expressions. Greeting cards and stationary can be bought in the box or personally designed in-store. They also carry other items great for gifts, like mugs and notebooks. They have limited hours on weekends, so be sure to plan ahead!
This is just a small sampling of all the unique shopping that Williamsburg Virginia has to offer. Treat mom to some classic, yet unique gifts that will make her feel as special and important as she deserves.