Mother’s Day 2020 is looking a whole lot different for most of us. Instead of a big family brunch at our favorite Bend restaurant, we’ll be staying in and serving Mom a homemade breakfast in bed. 

Grab a gift card (and maybe a bite to eat) from one of your favorite Bend businesses. Not only is it a great gift for Mom, but it helps ensure her favorite spot will still be there when this is all over.

That’s not such a bad deal for those of us in the mom camp. Same goes for oodles of other options for enjoying a safe, socially-distanced Mother’s Day in Bend or anywhere else.

Gift cards are even more precious

If you love giving Mom a gift card for her favorite day spa or Bend lunch spot, I have good news: While the COVID-19 crisis means she can’t run out and use it right away, the gift card you give her means more than ever both for Mom and Bend’s economy.

That’s thanks in part to SOS Bend, which lets you search for Bend businesses that could use a helping hand. They range from bookstores to spas to restaurants to tour operators, and the money you pledge to support them becomes not only a lifeline for that business, but a gift card Mom can use once things are back to normal.

It’s a win-win for everyone, and offers something to look forward to when this is all behind us.

Grab a Bend gift basket with her favorite goodies

It’s been touching to not only see neighbors helping neighbors through quarantine challenges, but businesses banding together to stay afloat.

Grab a gift basket (like this one from Savory Spice) to make Mother’s Day extra special.

That’s evident in the Mother’s Day packages popping up right now with treats from multiple businesses. There’s this one which includes delivery of Mom’s favorite drinkables from Oregon Spirit Distillers, paired with a 2” succulent from Somewhere That’s Green or a box of macarons from Foxtail Bakeshop.

Savory Spice Shop in the Old Mill District put together a scrumptious gift basket filled with their own spice blends, along with treats from Bend businesses like Holm Made Toffee Co.

Anjou Spa has assembled some awesome gift baskets geared toward specific mom needs and packed with spa and beauty products (some made here in Bend). There’s a basket for the expectant mom, the new mom, the mature mom, the busy mom, or the tired mom. Each comes with an embossed, blank notecard you can use to write a personal note, plus free curbside pickup.

For more ideas, visit this page spotlighting Bend retailers and restaurants making a go of it during these challenging times. Then give them a call for help putting together your own special gift basket for Mom.

Score a special piece of Bend jewelry

Bend jewelry shops have taken a hard hit lately, with physical stores closing their doors weeks ago in response to COVID restrictions. But you can still shop online from Bend jewelers offering special creations for the mom who loves her bling.

Bend-based creator Joy Jewelry boasts a number of custom pieces for Mother’s Day, including sweet little infinity necklaces with birthstones.

While Saxon’s Fine Jewelers has temporarily shuttered their shop in the Old Mill District, they’ll happily chat via phone or email to help choose the perfect shiny bauble you can pick up right now for Mother’s Day gifting.

Wouldn’t your beer loving mom love these earrings from Hopped Up Jewelry?

If Mom wants a say in the sort of jewelry she wears, offer her a gift card and an IOU to work with local designers like Karen Bandy Studio or The Sunstone Store to create a one-of-a-kind piece just for her.

To find out what other Bend jewelers are offering for Mother’s Day, you can peruse the listings on this page.

Have dinner delivered

Real talk, guys: I love to cook, but I am SO. TIRED. of the amount of planning, shopping, sanitizing, and strategic menu revising required to adapt to bare grocery store shelves and a family stuck in the house 24/7. It’s been a godsend having Bend restaurants open for takeout, delivery, and curbside pickup.

If your wife, girlfriend, or baby-mama is similarly fatigued, choose one meal you’re willing to handle. Then utter the following three words I can personally guarantee as a romance author are the sexiest in the entire English language: I’ve got this.

Blogger Tawna will admit she loves her husband a little bit more when he orders takeout from a Bend restaurant and plans an at-home date night.

Scroll through this list of Bend restaurants offering takeout and delivery. Unless you have a picky mom in your midst, I implore you to decide entirely on your own what to order and when to have it delivered. Relieving your partner of that labor is even more important than the meal itself.

Then set the table, stick some flowers in a vase, and summon her to eat. A meal she doesn’t have to plan, shop for, schedule, prepare, or clean up after? Priceless.

Make it personal

Not every Mother’s Day gift requires you to open your wallet. By opening your heart and adding a dash of creativity, you can create a special gift that’s personalized just for Mom.

Craft a handmade IOU to visit her favorite Bend hiking spot or campground when restrictions are lifted. Make it extra special by adding pictures of your family enjoying some past adventure. If your spot happens to be open right now, pack a picnic basket and set out to enjoy a socially-distanced fresh air outing in Bend’s beautiful outdoors.

Plan a picnic with Mom to enjoy now or in the future.

Write Mom a letter sharing a favorite memory of some special time you’ve shared together and what it meant to you. 

If Mom’s happy spot is in Bend, create a note telling her how much you’re looking forward to your family’s next Bend adventure.

Then get ready to make more Bend memories when the time is right. Happy Mother’s Day, everyone!