Chances are that Mom’s been working a little harder than usual to make sure the family is on track this year. While juggling homeschooling, her job, and managing the household, Mom has likely gone above and beyond the typical call of duty. With Mother’s Day right around the corner, why not make sure you find a way to express your appreciation for all she’s done while also enjoying the best of Sonoma Valley?

There’s no need to let the shelter-in-place be a limiting factor. Give Mom the gift of a virtual experience, a gift in real time, or a future experience to enjoy during the brighter days ahead. Browse through the ideas below and find the best way to show your mom how much you appreciate her.

VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES

Virtual experiences are all the rage these days, and for good reason: they allow us to continue engaging with our community, while still enjoying the comfort and safety of home. Best of all, Sonoma Valley’s locally-owned businesses have adapted to make it easy to stay plugged in to all the great resources available. You may not be able to take Mom out for her special day, but that doesn’t mean you can’t give her a memorable experience.

Virtual wine tastings are a real hit in Sonoma Valley, connecting wine lovers with their favorite wines, delivered to their door, accompanied by a Zoom call so that they can taste directly with the winemaker. Consider signing Mom up for a private tasting with Jill or Chris Benziger of Benziger Family Wines; or with “the Count,” Buena Vista Winery’s 19th century founder; or gift her a blind-tasting kit to enjoy on her own time from Meadowcroft Wines.

If Mom prefers a more hands-on approach, consider an online cooking class through The Epicurean Connection to learn the art of cheesemaking and cheese-based dishes.

GIFTS & EXPERIENCES IN REAL TIME

Gifts in real time are a great way to show appreciation, however big or small. If you live locally, many stores are offering curbside pickup or delivery, making shopping for Mom fast and effortless.

Check out Tiddle E. Winks for a Mother’s Day Cornucopia or Chateau Sonoma to browse their Mother’s Day collection of handmade gifts. If Mom loves the wine country chic look, you can set her up with a personal shopper at Perlé Sonoma or order a few special pieces of clothing from their online catalog.

If your mom is the kind of person who just wants a special day, you can still pull out the bells and whistles by ordering her brunch-to-go. Pick up a box of assorted pastries, a family meal, or a quiche at Sweet Pea Bake Shop in Sonoma, call ahead to order bread and croissants from Les Pascals in Glen Ellen, or order the whole kit and caboodle from Glen Ellen Star or the Depot Hotel Restaurant, including brunch, wine, mimosas and flowers!

FUTURE EXPERIENCES

We may be sheltered in place today, but the future is wide open with promise! Don’t cancel your visit to Wine Country if you can postpone instead. Haven’t even made plans yet? Perfect! Now’s your chance! Live here but still can’t get out right now? No worries. Happier days are right around the corner.

You don’t have to worry if you can’t take Mom to Sonoma just yet. Instead of a gift today that she may not be able to enjoy right away, why not offer her a gift certificate to one of her favorite Sonoma Valley restaurants? Or how about a spa or salon visit that’s just about her? Maybe a getaway to Wine Country, staying at one of our many boutique inns, hotels and lodges?

We hope to see you soon in Sonoma. In the meantime, we wish all the mothers out there a wonderful day.