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Shop local for special and unique Mother’s Day gifts

- By Irene Levy Baker For MediaNews Group

Did your mom always tell you to help others? Show her you were actually listening by getting her a mother’s day gift from a local small business. Here are some gifts from local businesses that your mom will love as much as knowing that you took her lesson to heart and helped a local business owner.

For Gourmet Moms

From Marjorie, a locallyown­ed company, makes unbelievab­ly beautiful cheese boards. Each board comes in a 9” round wooden box filled with small-batch artisan cheeses from local, organic and family-owned farms, charcuteri­e, accompanim­ents (like candied pecans or wildflower honeycomb), crackers and fruit. Choose from a fixed menu or customize your own board. Can be picked up at The Bottle Shop in South Philadelph­ia or be delivered.

For Nutty Moms

Your mom will go nuts over the “Almost Famous” tray at Nuts To You. It includes an array of butter toasted peanuts, chocolate cashews, salted cashews, peanut M&Ms, two kinds of trail mix, and chocolate nonpareils. If you’re lucky maybe she’ll share with you. Nuts To You opened in 1975 and is now run by the founder’s grandson. It has five locations — four in Center City and one in Northeast Philadelph­ia, and a thriving online business.

For Moms Who Love Cooking

Sign your mom up for a virtual cooking class with Gema Cuffari, whose love of cooking began in her Little Tikes Kitchen. Add nearly 10 years of experience teaching high school and you get Cooking Gems Studio in Perkasie in Bucks County. Gema is currently teaching virtual classes but your mom won’t just sit and watch. She should have her ingredient­s and equipment ready and be prepared to have fun whether she’s making vegetarian cauliflowe­r tacos, pierogies, bao buns, or chocolate mudslide cupcakes. Private customized classes are also available and hopefully, by this summer, cooking parties in-your-home may be an option too.

For carpool-driving Moms

If your mom could use a little “her time” at the end of the day, opt for one of Village Candle’s lavender-scented candles. The soothing aroma has a calming effect that’ll prepare her for yet another round of pick-ups and drop-offs. Find them a Village Pharmacy in Springhous­e.

Locally-owned shops are full of gifts that will surprise and delight your mom and will give you the kind of personal attention that you need to find the perfect fit.

For Caffeinate­d Moms

Bean2Bean Coffee Co says it captures a life

style that coffee drinkers aspire to be - creative, thoughtful and outside the convention­al norm. If that captures your mom’s spirit, get her some B2B beans. Choose from intriguing roasts such as French Toast Bites Coffee; Bourbon Whiskey Coffee, which ages in a Kentucky bourbon whiskey-soaked oak barrel; or Schuylkill Select, with hints of milk chocolate, berries and caramelize­d sugar. Use promo code Motherlode to get a free hand-made, ceramic mug created by Anthony Romero, a local artist, when you spend $35 or more. Each mug is unique, like your mom. While supply lasts.

For Jersey Girls

If your mom is from Jersey, she’ll eat up the South Jersey Food Jersey Tasting Journey Food Box from On the Town Food Tours. Highlights include wineinfuse­d chocolate from Robinson’s Fine Candies in Skillman; Hungarian pastry from Heirzoom Bakery in Bridgeton; Cranberry Blossom Honey from Birds & Bees Farm in Burlington, Monmouth and Ocean Counties; salt water taffy from Atlantic City’s James Candy Company. The box includes two experience­s — a $20 gift certificat­e for a private On the Town Food Tour for four and a 60-minute product tasting session including a discussion with one of the small business owners.

For Fashionabl­e Moms

Gallerie Marie, founded by Kimberly Camp, carries the work of 200 artists from around the world. Think paintings, one-of-akind hand-made dolls, jewelry, artifacts and more. Hit the Colllingsw­ood gallery for a silk scarf for your mom. The 100% silk scarves are hand-woven and hand-washable and come in a variety of colors and styles. Perfect if she’s getting dressed up again and for pulling up to cover her mouth and nose.

For Spa-loving Moms

Check out the gifts from Love From Home at Babis Pharmacy in Lower Merion and you’ll find a full line from Michel Design Works. The beautifull­y packaged fragrances, soaps, lotions, candles, room sprays and other products are luxurious, yet reasonably priced. So luxurious that she’ll feel like she’s at the spa, when she’s in her own home. And the shop provides compliment­ary gift wrapping so your gift will be as pretty on the outside as your mom is on the inside!

For Cocktail-loving Moms

New Liberty Distillery, a craft distillery in South Kensington, is offering spring-themed, sociallydi­stant cocktail classes on Mother’s Day. The tickets are for two guests, so you can do it together (which your mom will love)! Hear

 ?? PHOTO COURTESY OF COOKING GEMS STUDIO ?? Gema Cuffari of Little Tikes Kitchen is currently teaching virtual classes.
PHOTO COURTESY OF COOKING GEMS STUDIO Gema Cuffari of Little Tikes Kitchen is currently teaching virtual classes.
 ?? PHOTO COURTESY OF SWEET MAGNOLIA ?? Glenside’s Sweet Magnolia was founded by a mother and daughter.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SWEET MAGNOLIA Glenside’s Sweet Magnolia was founded by a mother and daughter.
 ?? PHOTO BY RYAN SPILLMAN ?? Hand-made Mug from Bean2Bean.
PHOTO BY RYAN SPILLMAN Hand-made Mug from Bean2Bean.

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