[2023] Best Gifts for Asian Mom - 26 Ideas You Can't Miss Out

It is important to think carefully about gifts for parents at special occasions such as birthdays and throughout the year. Gift ideas for certain types of parents who come from different culture background, such as Asian Moms, can be difficult due to their specific tastes. Here are some gift ideas for an Asian Mom including meaningful and special gifts, practical gifts, beauty-related gifts and more.

• Meaningful or Special Gifts for Asian Mom
• Practical Gifts for Asian Mom
• Beauty-related Gifts for Asian Mom
• Flexible "Gifts" for Asian Mom

Meaningful or Special Gifts for Asian Mom

Meaningful or special gifts add some thought and consideration to show appreciation for your Asian Mom. These gifts can be something physical you can wrap and give to her in person or send in the post, a memorable occasion or a meaningful act.

1. Traditional Desserts from Her Home Country

The infamous and varied cuisine of Asia presents plenty of ideas for gifts. A particularly nice idea is finding desserts or drinks specific to your Asian Mom’s country of origin. Popular Asian dessert ideas include soy milk pudding, black sesame ice cream, egg tarts and pumpkin cakes. Here is a list of dessert ideas specific to different parts of Asia:

• Taiwan: Tofu pudding, sweet potato balls, pineapple cake or wheel cake.
• Korea: Different types of rice cake (e.g. Jeolpyeon, Songpyeon, Jeungpyeon).
• Viet Nam: Ice cream sticks, fruit smoothies and creme caramel.
• Singapore: Ice cream sandwich or Pandan Cake.
• Malaysia: Ais Kacang Sorbet, cendol or Bubur cha cha (also suitable for a breakfast dish).

2. Cook a Meal for Her

Nothing says you care for someone more than cooking them a meal. Each country in Asia has its own distinct cuisine, and ingredients are usually easy to find in Asian supermarkets. Cooking a meal for your Asian Mom from her country of origin as a gift is sure to put a smile on her face. As a guide, here are some meals you can cook from different parts of Asia:

• Taiwan: Beef noodle soup, braised pork rice or Taiwanese Hamburgers.
• Korea: Bibimbap, Bulgogi (Korean barbecue) or Korean Fried Chicken.
• Viet Nam: Pho (famous Vietnamese soup dish) or Bun cha (ideal for lunchtimes).
• Singapore: Hainanese chicken (poached with rice) Chilli crab, Laksa (spicy noodle soup),
• Malaysia: Nasi lamek (rice cooked in coconut milk) or rendang curry.

3. Plan a Trip with Her

Asian parents love sightseeing. Planning a surprise trip for your Asian Mom with you would be a welcome gift. When planning the trip, bear in mind factors such as your Mom’s capacity to travel long distances. Think about planning a trip close to home if she isn’t used to traveling long distances.

4. Write a Long Letter

Writing a letter to a parent showing love and gratitude is a form of “filial piety” long practiced in Asian cultures. Filial piety is the showing of respect towards one's parents, and figures strongly in many Asian cultures. Such a letter would be a wonderful gift for an Asian Mom, particularly if you were able to write it in her mother language. 

5. A Photo collection of you with Mom

All Moms love photos of their children, no matter how old their children are. Photos of them and their children is one thing they love even more. If you have some nice photos of you and your Mom together, putting them into a photo collection is a memorable and thoughtful gift. If you can, include some photos of your Mom or you and your Mom that were taken without her noticing for an added surprise.

6. Souvenir from Your University or City

If you attended university, a souvenir with the logo of your university would make a nice present for an Asian Mom. This will be a proud memento of your educational achievements. Even better would be a souvenir which can only be bought from your university such as the university sports team mascot or a model of the university architectural features. If you are working in another city, a souvenir of the city would also be a gift valued by an Asian Mom.

7. Plan a Special Day

Spending a day with your Mom is one of the greatest gifts you can give her. If you are unable to spend the day with your Mom, an alternative gift would be to organize a day she can spend with someone close by such as a friend or other family member. Planning a day for her which involves something she has never done before is a great way of giving her a gift she will always remember.

8. “Best Mom” Stuff

There are many gifts available with “Best Mom” written on. Buying your Mom one of these gifts is a way of telling how highly you think of her, and is something she can keep forever. Good “Best Mom” gifts include mugs, t-shirts, stationary, key rings and napkins. If your Mom has a favorite color, consider buying “Best Mom” gifts with these colors on.

9. Customized Products

Customized products are another type of meaningful gift you can buy for your Asian Mom. These can include your Mom’s name or other personal details, and include things like crockery, clothes, stationary, sports drinks containers, coasters, stickers, notepads, mouse mats and even wireless phone chargers.

10. A Handmade Gift

A handmade gift is a unique item you can give to your Asian Mom with a personal touch. Good examples of handmade gifts include artisanal candles, handmade cutlery, key hangers, clothes hangers, cushions, room sprays and bespoke clothes. For an even more personal touch, consider a handmade gift such as a clay animal which represents her sign of the zodiac or the animal in her year of birth according to the Chinese calendar.

Practical Gifts for Asian Mom

Practical gifts are those which a Mom can use in the home or in their daily life. Asian Moms usually don't want their children to spend a lot on something not practical, so if you give them something they can use or currently need, they will like it.

11. Plates and Bowls

Eating together is central to many Asian cultures. Asian Moms will therefore appreciate a new set of plates and bowls to use for family meal times. Rice bowls, sauce dishes and soup bowls are all excellent gifts for an Asian Mom.

12. Robot Vacuum

Robot vacuums remove all of the effort needed to keep a floor clean. After years of vacuuming around children, your Asian Mom may be glad to sit back and allow a robot to do it for her. The cost of robot vacuums have dropped significantly in recent years making it a viable gift for many.

13. Meat Grinder

Asian Moms are famous for spending time in the kitchen and love to cook dishes typical of their country of origin. Many Asian dishes such as dumplings or Asian meat bowls use meat which has been minced. Buying your Asian Mom a meat grinder means she can make her own minced meat using cheap meat off cuts. The minced meat from a meat grinder is also much fresher and better quality than that bought from a butcher.

Credit: Amazon

14. Health Pot

Asian Moms are known for their interest in health and well-being, and are often looking for ways to stay youthful. A health pot is an excellent gift for an Asian Mom. With this she can make herbal teas, healthy porridge and soups and even eggs. It is a gift your Mom will value for many years, and will help to keep her healthy.

Credit: Amazon

15. Thermal Mug

Power walking is a favorite pass-time of many Asian parents. A thermal mug is something your Mom can take in a backpack on power walks. With this, she can enjoy a warm or cool drink after her walk, and is surely something she will treasure.

16. Massagers

Everyone needs ways to relax, and massagers are a great way of winding down. If your Mom doesn’t have one already, a massager would make an ideal gift. They come in both electric and manual versions. Electric versions have more functions, but manual versions are often made of wood and can make a nice bathroom ornament.

17. Solar Lights

If your Mom owns a house or an apartment with a balcony or terrace, solar lights would make an interesting and useful gift. Solar lights collect energy from the sun during the day to shine an LED bulb at night, which makes them energy-saving and cost-effective. A wide range of solar lights are now available including lights for steps, motion sensor lights, string lights and mason jar lights for terraces and patios.

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Solar Motion Sensor Wall Lights

18. Smart Home Devices

The growth in digital technology for the home has created new gift ideas ideal for Asian Moms. A voice-controlled virtual assistant such as Amazon’s Alexa is a popular smart home device. Other ideas are smart-controlled security devices such as video surveillance, a video doorbell or smart door and window locks. These smart home devices will not only improve the security and convenience of their life, but also add something fresh to their routine. They are also eager to embrace new technology.

Beauty-related Gifts for Asian Mom

Asian Moms love to take care of themselves, and will always appreciate beauty products. Here are some ideas sure to make your Mom smile.

19. Face-protection Sun Hat

Asian women are known for protecting their faces from the sun either through sun-brellas, hats or suncream. If your Mom is a fan of gardening, a sun hat makes a great present. This will allow her to enjoy her favorite pass-time without worrying about sunburn.

Credit: Amazon

20. Jewelry

Most women love jewelry, and Asian Moms are no different. If choosing jewelry as a gift for your Asian Mom, consider her country of origin before choosing. Chinese women tend to opt for rose gold or silver, whilst Indian women prefer more ornate designs using both metal and jewels.

21. Skin Care Products

Asian women are renowned for their youthful looks, often shown in their clear skin which they pay close attention to maintaining. Skin care products are therefore an ideal gift for your Asian Mom. When choosing skin care products, consider whether she already has a preferred range of products. If you can, take a look in her bathroom cupboard to see which range she prefers, and which items in this range are missing. You can then buy the missing items.

22. Makeups

As with skincare, your Mom may have a favorite brand of makeup she likes to wear. Try to find out which products she uses and which ones are running out. Makeup tends to be quite simple for Asian women, and may be just a light foundation and bright lipstick.

23. Cashmere Scarves

Cashmere is a luxury type of wool used for making jumpers, scarves and gloves. A cashmere scarf is a truly luxurious gift for your Asian Mom. Think about the colors she has in her wardrobe, and try to match the color of the scarf to her other clothes. Add some gloves to give her a complete winter wardrobe.

24. Hair Color Cream

Asian people typically have jet black hair, and it is common practice for older Asian folk to hide any gray or white hairs by dying hair regularly. Hair color cream is an easy way to color hair, and is a thoughtful gift for an Asian Mom.

25. Press-on Nails

Press-on nails are a popular beauty accessory in Asia and worldwide. The many options for these allow wearers to match their nails to their hair, makeup and clothes. For Moms engaged in daily housework, getting their nails polished might not be the best idea. Due to their ease of wear and removal, Press-on nails are an ideal gift for your Mom if you are looking for something glamorous.

Flexible "Gifts" for Asian Mom

Flexible “gifts” are ones you can vary in terms of how much you give. These include money (called a “red packet” in parts of Asia) or gift cards.

26. Red Packet - give them money in an envelope

Giving money to relatives or loved ones is a common practice in many cultures. In parts of Asia, money is given as gifts on special occasions inside a red envelope and called a “red packet”. You can put as much or as little money in a red packet depending on the occasion.

  Credit: Amazon

27. Amazon Gift Card

An Amazon Gift Card is another flexible gift, but with a more personal touch than just simply money. Your Mom can spend it anywhere on the Amazon site, including the Kindle Store and Amazon Prime. However, be sure to buy the gift card on the amazon site in which she wishes to spend the money (e.g. amazon.com for the USA, amazon.ca for Canada or amazon.co.uk for the UK). This will ensure that any gifts she purchases can be delivered easily.