Mother’s Day 2026 is just around the corner (Sunday 15 March), so if you haven’t given it much thought yet, we have you covered.
According to new research from Waitrose, nearly half of mums (46%) said quality time beats gifts on their special day. Meanwhile, 35% said the ultimate way to make Mother’s Day special is simple: a meal they don’t have to cook or prepare. As a mum of two, I’d be inclined to agree – although an all-expenses trip to the Caribbean would come a very close second.
The findings highlight what any mum already knows: a day off from the mental load is the ultimate ‘gift’.
So, what better way to thank her for everything she does than with a special afternoon tea this Sunday?
But before you don a pinny and start baking from scratch, or try to nab an impossible-to-secure reservation, there’s currently 20% off all things afternoon tea at Waitrose – including this picture-perfect four-piece tea cake selection.
Priced at just £6 (normally £7.50), it’s substantially cheaper than taking her for afternoon tea at The Ritz – and dare we say... just as pretty? The pack contains six mini sponge cakes (two of each, so no need to squabble). From hand-piped mini daisy cakes filled with lemon curd, to the orange-soaked St Clements cakes, topped with sweet buttercream, they look almost too pretty to eat. The pink raspberry cake – finished with a sprinkle of freeze-dried raspberries – will also get a big thumbs up.
If you’re feeding a crowd, pad things out with a round of scones, clotted cream and strawberry preserve. Serve it all on your finest cake stand (she’ll love this two-tiered one from Next), and wait for the thank-yous to roll in.
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
