Your Mother’s Day celebration this year is bound to look a little different, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re all feeling the effects of being stuck inside and unable to travel, but that doesn’t mean you can’t treat Mum to a vacay state of mind.

Global travel agency Expedia is sharing their sneaky tips for channeling a little bit of holiday magic, so you can give your Mumma Bear a well-deserved break from iso-induced cabin fever.

8.00am Treat her to a five-star buffet breakfast
There’s something about a luxurious, leisurely hotel buffet breakfast that’s impossible to beat. Start Mum’s day off on the right foot this Sunday by treating her to a five-star buffet breakfast. Think overflowing omelettes, complete with all the swanky fillings, freshly squeezed juices, the aroma of perfectly toasted bread. And a side of eye-rolling food puns, courtesy of your cringe-worthy apron-clad Dad.

9.00am Channel a vacay state of mind with Mum’s favourite holiday outfits
According to Expedia’s survey*, 29% of Aussies get those fun-loving holiday vibes when they dress up in clothes they purchased while on holiday. Get Mum to browse through her wardrobe for purchases from favourite holidays or encourage her to pull out a summer outfit from your most recent beach vacation. Weather permitting, take a stroll down the local beach or park with a camera, dressed up in your favourite vacation outfits. Choose a path you’ve never been down, and you may stumble across that unexpected feeling of delight that holiday finds often inspire.

12.00pm Transport Mum to a treasured holiday location via her tastebuds
For lunch, prepare a local meal from Mum’s favourite destination. Taste can be an important factor in reviving special memories. In fact, according to a survey* conducted by Expedia, 16% of Aussies admit to cooking the local cuisine as a way to help transport themselves back to their favourite holiday memories. And this increases to 21% among millennial parents. Make it a real experience by going all out with decorations, lighting and some of your favourite travel treasures. For example, if Mum loves Japan, dress up in kimonos, set up some paper lanterns and pop on your favourite Studio Ghibli film in the background. 

3.00pm Toast to a classic European happy hour
Embrace the northern Italian tradition of Aperitivo as a way to spoil mum for happy hour. She’ll love the experience of pre-meal drink to whet her appetite prior to dinner. You can get ultra-creative and pair specially created signature cocktails with holiday inspired finger food to make it an extra special occasion. Spanish tapas like Pinchos (small pieces of bread topped with olives and sausages), or Gambas al ajillo (a Spanish dish made with shrimp and garlic sauce) are particularly simple to make and very effective. 

5.00pm Set out on an audio adventure
A quarter of Aussies (25%) tapped into happy travel memories through listening to music reminiscent of a destination*. Set up a comfortable spot for your Mum – whether it’s near a window or out on the back deck – and help transport her to one of her favourite places courtesy of her ears. Think Edith Piaf for France, the Mamas and the Papas for California, a little Fats Waller or Ella Fitzgerald to recreate New York’s most atmospheric jazz clubs. The New York Times also recently shared 13 Podcasts for Wandering Souls^, introducing podcasts inspired by famous destinations such as Monet’s gardens in Giverny, France and the Grand Canyon in the United States.

8.00pm Around the world in 80 frames
Finish Mum’s adventure with a final trip around the world with a fun viewing party of all her favourite memories. According to Expedia’s study*, 42% of Australians look to past holiday photos and videos as a way of maintaining that holiday high. Whether you’ve created a digital compilation of photos and videos or flick through physical photo albums, make a night out of it and relive the memories as a family.

Next year, when everything is back to normal, you might be surprised to find that your Mother’s Day holiday at home may be one of Mum’s most treasured travel memories ever.