Every Mother's Day, Americans show their appreciation for the remarkable women in their lives by showering them with extravagant gifts. 2022 will be no exception. A recent survey by the National Retail Federation (NRF) indicates that the approximately 84 percent of adults celebrating the holiday on May 8 will collectively spend $31.7 billion. This is up $3.6 billion from the record $28.1 billion spent in 2021 and the highest in the survey's 19-year history.
“Consumers are eager to find memorable ways to honor their mothers and other important women in their lives and are willing to spend a little extra on this sentimental holiday,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay.
The poll, which surveyed 8,574 US adults, found that consumers will expend an average of $245.76, up $25 from 2021. Greeting cards (75 percent) and flowers (72 percent) top the list of potential purchases. However, a large sum of the money — about $7 billion — will go towards fine jewelry. Experience-related gifts, such as concerts or sporting events, and product subscription services, like Birchbox, are also very popular. About 57 percent of those celebrating plan to spend an average of $40.90 on a special outing like dinner or brunch.
Given the lavish purchases, it should come as no surprise that Mother's Day is now the third-largest US retail holiday — behind only winter holidays and the back-to-school season. But, that is not what Anna Jarvis had in mind when she began her nationwide campaign to convince lawmakers to set aside a special day to honor mothers in 1908. The Philadelphia school teacher hoped for a simple celebration that involved wearing a white carnation and visiting one's mother or attending a church service.
However, once President Woodrow Wilson officially designated the second Sunday of May as Mother's Day in 1914, retailers seized the opportunity to market gifts to US consumers. Jarvis spent years fighting the trend and even filed lawsuits against the “profiteers" to no avail. By the time she died in 1948, Jarvis had disowned the holiday she had fought so hard to create.
Moms certainly appreciate a thoughtful gift or two. However, most would readily swap it for an opportunity to spend more quality time with their families or get a break from their daily chores. So this Mother's Day, promise your mom the attention or help she deserves — not just for one day, but all year round.
Happy Mother's Day!
Resources: NRF.com, Today.com, Wikipedia.com,
