What do you think is the world’s toughest job? According to the viral video “World’s Toughest Job,” produced by cardstore.com, it goes a little something like this: 135-plus hours a week, willingness to forgo any breaks, ability to manage a minimum of 10-15 projects at one time, and the responsibility to oversee the overall day-to-day success and development of all associates, who are fully dependent on you. Sound familiar? That’s right — the world’s toughest job is Mom! Cardstore.com created a fictitious company and took out a real help-wanted ad for a director of operations. According to Adweek, the job post was viewed more than 2 million times; only 24 people inquired, and candidates were interviewed via webcam. What ensues on screen is funny and heartwarming—and impossible to capture in words (so watch it). In honor of moms everywhere who work unimaginable hours for no pay and go above and beyond for their beloved “associates,” we’ve rounded up a Mother’s Day gift guide. Nothing can repay Mom for all that she does, but here are a few ways to let her know she’s appreciated:
Spread the Momma Love
Around this time last year, we featured a Kickstarter campaign for a new book called Momma Love by NYC-based photographer Ali Smith (read that article here). Through striking portraits and stories of 40 mothers, Smith said she hoped to shine a light on the realities of motherhood—beyond what we see on TV and in our Facebook feeds. Many people connected with that mission, and Momma Love was fully funded through the campaign. Gloria Steinem calls it a “fresh, eye-opening first-hand manifestation of motherhood’s contemporary realities.” It’s beautiful and honest, and it makes a great gift for any momma. The book is available ($45) at mommalovethebook.com.
You Are My Sunshine
Whether she’s out in the garden, strolling around the city, or laying on the beach this summer, Mom might appreciate the shade from this chic Nipi Sun Hat from Marimekko ($95). The fabric is 100 percent cotton sateen, which means the hat is machine washable. 
Speaking of sunshine, brighten up Mom’s morning with Marimekko’s Kurjenpolvi Mug ($20). Kurjenpolvi means “geranium” in Finnish, which is the flower featured on this pretty yellow-and-white mug.
Bunny Love
As part of the March of Dimes’ 2014 imbornto campaign, several retailers are offering special gifts — from now through Father’s Day — that help support the March of Dimes’ mission to support healthy, full-term pregnancies. One of the items included in the campaign is this Roosevelt the Rabbit stuffed animal from Scentsy. For every purchase of Roosevelt the Rabbit ($30), Scentsy Fragrance will donate $6.50 to the March of Dimes. Scentsy has committed to a minimum donation of $150,000. The bunny is available for purchase through local Scentsy Consultants, which can be found at scentsy.com.
Picture Perfect
Photo-themed gifts are no-brainers on holidays like Mother’s Day, but here’s an option you may not have seen yet: Shutterfly’s iPad app – Shutterfly Photo Story (free to download) – has a brand new Doodle feature that lets you add your own touch to a photo book with drawings and words. Doodle allows you to decorate your favorite photos (with crowns, mustaches, and more), paint a mini masterpiece, or add a hand-written note, so kids can add fun pictures, notes, and accents to their photo book for Mom. They can choose from several different brushes and a wide-range of colors to add doodles to photos or even doodle on a blank page. 
You can also opt for a more traditional photo gift with Shutterfly’s customizable iPhone and iPad cases — the Gallery Monogram iPad Caseis show above ($54.99). Choose from a range of designs and customize your case with photos and text. The folio-style case has a magnetic closure and a reinforced spine for added protection. It fits all versions of the iPad except the iPad Air and iPad Mini, but don’t worry, there are designs available for those as well.
More than a Candle
Prosperity Candles aren’t only gorgeous, but they are designed to “do good in the world.” Each candle is handmade, ethically poured, and comes with a story about the woman who poured it. These Kaleidoscope Rice Bowls($24 each) are poured by Burmese refugee women living in the U.S. and earning a living wage. These do-good gifts also keep on giving to the recipient: When the candle has burned out, you can add the bowl to your dishware collection or simply use it as decoration.
Birthstone Bling
Thinking of getting Mom some jewelry? Luna & Stella jewelry company has a line of hand-crafted birthstone jewelry created especially for mothers. Luna & Stella means “moon and star” in Italian. Like the relationship between moon and star, Luna & Stella’s modern birthstone jewelry symbolizes the connections between ourselves and those we love. The family-run business was founded in 2009 with the goal of blending great jewelry design with thoughtful meaning. Each piece of jewelry is handcrafted in sterling silver or 14 karat gold, set with genuine birthstones representing your loved ones, and carefully wrapped in a complimentary Italian gift box. We like these Crescent Moon Stacking Birthstone Rings($58), which are designed to be mixed, matched, and added to over time.
From Daughter, with Love
A great gift from daughter to mom is the new book We’ll Always Have Paris($14.99; Trade Paper), a memoir by bestselling novelist Jennifer Coburn. The mother-daughter travel adventure begins when Jennifer’s only child, Katie, turns 8. Jennifer, who lost her fun-loving father to lung cancer when she was 19, is convinced that she too will die at a young age, and vows to jam pack Katie’s mental album of memories. And it all starts in Paris. Over the next eight years, Jennifer and Katie travel throughout Europe sharing adventures and collecting memories. Through her daughter, Jennifer learns to let go of her fear of death—and embraces a desire to enjoy life.
Meditative Mama
If Mom likes to de-stress and get her meditation on with a little yoga, get her this Personalized Yoga Bag from Hiho Batik ($50). Choose from two colors, gunmetal gray (shown) or Paris green, and customize the bag with a letter, word, or phrase. Bags are made using a handmade batik design, so each will look slightly different, making it as individual and unique as Mom.
