Five Great Ideas for a New Twist on Mother's Day Dinner

If you are prone to purchasing a dinner for your mom on her special day; it's become a tradition of sorts even, then why not give her a surprise this year by switching things up a bit. Here are five ideas for Mother's Day dinner that are bound to bring a sparkle to her eye.

One: Instead of taking her out to eat or giving her a gift certificate to her favorite restaurant, consider ordering her favorite dish catered at your house as a nice surprise. This will keep you from having a length wait time if a reservation has not been made or save you from having to deal with an environment where the chef and wait staff are seriously stained because of the amount of people they are taking care of. It is an intimate and thoughtful setting that allows for her to be pampered as she should be on this day.

Two: You could invite her to your house and cook her your favorite meal. Make sure to invite all siblings. If you are inviting her mother and your dad's mother, if possible, as well, make sure to add items to the menu that each of the mom's holds dear. You can make the cocktail from one mom's favorite recipe, the appetizer from another's, and the dessert from the third's, having the main course be a dish enjoyed by all (or any other spin you find appropriate). Don't forget a fancy, all-out-there rich and full of calories dessert (it's a good day...and excuse to splurge).

Three: If mom likes large family gatherings or cookouts in the park, at the beach or in the back yard, why not hang up some banners saying "Happy Mother's Day," put up some flowered center pieces (her favorite kind, of course), and gathering the clan together for a good old fashioned holiday BBQ or picnic. This is a great relaxed environment that allows you to spoil mom and gives her a great opportunity to spend the day with everyone she loves around her for a good chunk of time.

Four: This idea is a bit more extravagant than the proceeding ones but fantastic if you can pull it off without her detecting what is going on. If she has a favorite chef in another city or state, especially if she has never been to his or her restaurant (perhaps she is a Bobby Flay or Simon Perry fan) arrange for dinner there for Mother's Day. This would require surprise travel so you may have to collaborate with those around her (dad, for instance) to pull off the caper successfully.

Five: Treat mom to a reserved dinner in a theater. There are many places who serve dinner during a show, such as a play, comedy show or movie theater, where you can eat while you are being entertained. Find a production or event you think mom will enjoy and reserve the best seats available for you and her or you, her and dad. If you have other siblings and would like to include them, offer them a chance to purchase tickets for their families to attend as well. If you choose this option, make sure to place all reservations at the same time to ensure you are all seated in the same area. Or you may want to consider purchasing tickets and dinner for an event like this on a day other than Mother's Day (but not too far in the future) and present the information to her on the holiday as her gift.

Finding ways to put a new spin on a traditional gift idea can be great fun for you and a wonderful surprise for mom. Fresh ideas are as close as your imagination.