MANILA, Philippines – It’s Mother’s Day once again! What’s the best way to show the number one woman in your life how much she means to you? Every mother’s love language is different, so you’d be the best to know which gift she’d appreciate. Whether that’s food, kikay gifts, or a bonding experience together, here are a few Mother’s Day ideas to surprise Mom with!

Can’t go wrong with sweets

If your mom loves guava and wants to try something new, Monique Cakes’ best-selling and beautiful Guava Cake may interest you. The handmade creation is made of light chiffon cake, guava-flavored buttercream icing, fresh guava slices, and house-made guava jam, a generational recipe of Monique’s family. The guava is handpicked from their own garden! Monique also has a Caramel Cake that features chiffon cake encased in not-too-sweet caramel and a piping of smooth buttercream icing.

For a berry light and airy cake, Butternut MNL’s Cupid’s Strawberry Cake is a good choice! Inspired by the strawberry shortcake, this pretty treat features soft, moist vanilla sponge cake, delicate strawberry chantilly cream, sweet-tart berry compote, fresh berries on top, and an adorning of flowers.

Pretty in pink is Kumori’s Mother’s Day exclusive cake – the Ruby Blossom Cake, a dainty and pretty cake with a thick almond dacquoise base, layered with crunchy ruby crumble and a smooth vanilla bean mousse.

Don’t underestimate Red Ribbon’s new Mango-Choco Marjolaine Cake (and a new favorite of mine)! It’s light, refreshing, multi-textured, and just the right amount of sweet, with crunchy-chewy wafer layers (like sansrival), combined with ripe sweet mangoes, rich chocolate filling, praline cream, and roasted cashew nuts.

Honeybon also released a new Lemon Tres Leches Cake that’s sweet, tangy, and light, made of soft cheesecake layers that’s filled with three types of milk, topped with zesty lemon custard.

How about some ice cream? Treat Mom to Merry Moo’s two new flavors – Parmesan and Shoyu Salted Caramel – if she likes her sweets with a hint of savory. The Parmesan Ice Cream is like an elevated quezo ice cream that combines sweet and salty, just like the Shoyu Salted Caramel.

Interactive baking studio I Did It Myself (IDIM) Bakery also offers a fun baking experience you can share with your mom! Together you can make a Mother’s Day BouCake – a well-presented bouquet of moist cupcakes with cream cheese frosting – that you can design yourselves and take home to enjoy. The BouCake also comes with a free silver pinwheel necklace you can gift Mom with.

Can’t go wrong with donuts! Krispy Kreme offers occasion-exclusive flavors in special M-O-M designs – Mixed Berry Crunch and Pistachio Crunch Cake. The Mixed Berry Crunch is a ring doughnut dipped in mixed berry crunch glaze, topped with vanilla kreme, sprinkles, and berry flavored jellies. The Pistachio Crunch Cake is a cake doughnut dipped in crunchy pistachio glaze, topped with vanilla kreme and roasted pistachio.

A feast for a queen

Mom not a sweet tooth? No problem! Mom might appreciate a box of Taruc’s Tuna Tartare, perfect for snacking or as an appetizer. The box comes with crispy wonton crackers and fresh tuna or salmon tartare, mixed in an addictively creamy mayo sauce that comes with a kick of spice. You can also get a half-and-half box of both fish.

You can also give Mom a break from cooking and order in some simple, homemade burgers by Secret Sauce. The small biz serves juicy, freshly-made black angus patties with a secret sauce and other works. Secret Sauce’s four best-sellers are The Cheeseburger, Mary’s 100% Lamb Burger, the hefty Chicken Pesto, and Umami Burger made with mushrooms and a sauce mixed with taba ng talangka.

What about a novel savory cake to celebrate? Kaye’s Table makes a Cheesy Baked Mac Cake that’s surrounded by either lumpia or bread rolls. You can choose from pork, chicken, fish, or veggie lumpia or ham & cheese/mozzarella bread rolls. You can even have the pasta replaced with palabok, carbonara, 4-cheese lasagna, spaghetti, pancit bihon, or pesto penne!

For the kikay mom

If Mom recently had her hair colored, hair treatment is key! Miso en Scene’s Hello Bubble All Star Washoff Line, which is exclusively available at Mitsukoshi Mall, is color-safe and specifically for color care. The line has two ranges of shampoos and conditioners – Strengthening and Smoothing.

If Mom’s a homemaker with an eye for design, check out Casa Juan’s handmade items featuring Filipino culture and heritage! The local business works with Filipino artisans and designers to celebrate Filipino artistry through vibrant, cultural designs. They offer intricate napkin rings and a new, beautiful Philippine Handsome Sunbird line of colorful plates. The plates are inspired by the endemic bird, colored in bright hues of yellow, red, olive, and touches of bright blue.

Italy’s Amen Jewellery brand combines one’s love for jewelry and faith with its line of necklaces, bracelets, and rings, handmade and designed “with God’s love.” The overseas brand just opened its first kiosk in Alabang Town Center, and offers faith and non-faith based jewelry items made in Italy. There’s a Prayer Bracelet Collection, the Vita Cristi et Maria Collection (Life of Christ or Mary), and the Quadricuore Collection of four hearts that represent faith, hope, love, and luck.

The gift of experience

Treat Mom to a Mother’s Day Brunch Buffet on Sunday from 10 am to 1 pm at San Juan City’s Francesco’s, in collaboration with all-day breakfast spot Cafe Mabini. The festive spread costs only P1,599+ per head and includes appetizers, grazing table, breakfast bar, soups and salads, cold seafood bar, pasta and mains, carving station, grill, and desserts.

Food and free hair care? Why not! San Juan City’s iconic Guevarra’s Buffet Restaurant is also treating Moms to a traditional Filipino food Mother’s Day Buffet that comes with a free haircut, courtesy of Marqed Salon.

Bond over making your own scented candles with Mom at New World Makati’s Scented Candle Making Class on May 13! Guests who book a Mother’s Day Stay room on that weekend can avail of the 45-minute interactive class, and even bring home the candles they made. – Rappler.com