With only two days left until Mother’s Day, you might be feeling the time crunch to find a perfect gift. Don’t worry, though, because there are a few places around the South Valley that will turn that frantic, last-minute scramble into a fruitful breeze.

Maison A, at 17511 Monterey Road in Morgan Hill, is a perfect place to start. This upscale boutique has all sorts of housewares, clothing and sundries that can add comfort and joy to a mother’s life.

A carefully curated Mother’s Day display featuring soaps, lotions and beautiful flower arrangements greets visitors as soon as they enter. There is also a variety of scented candles and jewelry in Maison A to cater to many different tastes.

If clothes and candles don’t feel like the right choice, a custom flower bouquet might be better. The Flower Cottage, located at 35 E 1st St., is a charming shop that sells both custom and premade bouquets, as well as a wide variety of knick-knacks. Customers can easily create a bouquet featuring their mother’s favorite flowers.

For readers in Gilroy who don’t want to trek out to Morgan Hill to find a gift, there are closer options. Two high-quality boutiques, Amoretto and Itty Bitty, share a space at 7490 Monterey St.
Amoretto peddles fashionable blouses, bags and dresses, as well as jewelry and furniture. The styles found here are simple yet elegant and are perfect for a refined modern matriarch.

Itty Bitty, which lives up to its name, occupies a small corner in the Martin Street side of Amoretto. This shop sells its own line of cosmetics and makeup as well as a variety of local products. For mothers in need of some pampering, Itty Bitty also offers a special package that includes a facial, a back massage treatment and a gift bag.

It would be impossible to talk about gift-giving in Gilroy without mentioning Garlic World. Located at 4800 Monterey Road, Garlic World channels the local passion for garlic into customizable gift baskets and decorative garlic braids—both handmade on site.

There are two shops that are a bit more off-beat compared to the typical Mother’s Day fare.

The first is Murphy’s Mercantile, residing at 17375 Monterey St. in downtown Morgan Hill. Antiques, quirky art pieces and vintage housewares abound in this lovingly curated establishment. Items range in age from the ’80s and ’90s all the way back to the early 1900s.

Last but not least, Gilroy Psychic Crystal Visions at 7486 Monterey Road, is perfect for mothers who still reminisce about the Summer of Love. Healing crystals, tarot readings and aura cleansings can help mom return to her spiritual roots.

But, for those who prefer to honor that special woman in their lives with a DIY project, any local craft supply store will have everything needed to make a beautiful personalized card.

By Jeremy Cummings