Things You May Not Know about the National Holiday to Honor Our Moms
In an earlier article, we talked about the origins of Mother’s Day, tracing its roots from just before the American Civil War until it became a national holiday in 1914. Here are some facts about Mother’s Day that may or may not surprise you.
Mother’s Day is the Busiest Day of the Year in the Restaurant Business
It’s Mom’s special day, so you want to make certain she doesn’t have kitchen duty. What better way to treat her than by taking her out for a fancy dinner! Statistics indicate that some 80 million Americans go out to eat on Mother’s Day, substantially more than any other holiday (Valentines Day typically comes in second). Even the pandemic hasn’t put a damper on that practice. In 2022, nearly 60% of people polled said they were taking Mom out to eat on Mother’s Day.
It’s Also One of the Busiest Phone Days of the Year
As a general rule, the number of phones calls and text messages on Mother’s Day is 10% higher than any other Sunday of the year. During the pandemic, it was even higher, with calls up 25% in 2020. That equates to nearly two billion minutes on the phone and more than 6 billion text messages.
The Most Popular Gifts? Flowers, Jewelry and Spa Dates
Mother’s Day is huge for retailers, with more than $30 billion typically spent of gifts for Mom. Of that amount, about 25% ($7 billion) goes for jewelry. Spa gift certificates, electronics and clothing are also popular presents. The clear winner, though, is flowers, with nearly ¾ of all Moms getting a bouquet or a plant. When Mother’s Day was first proclaimed, in 1914, the flower of preference was the red carnation, said to signify the tears of Mary upon the crucifixion of Jesus. Now, virtually any type of flower is acceptable.
People Are Willing to Spend a Lot More for Mom than for Dad
The National Retail Federation estimates that the average amount spent on Mom is approximately $250, whereas the gifts given on Father’s Day generally average about $175.
Mother’s Day is Celebrated around the Planet, and in Different Ways
Almost every nation has some form of holiday to pay homage to mothers. In Ethiopia, it’s a three-day festival, with lots of food and live music. Across Thailand, parades are held honoring Moms.
There’s an Accepted Way to Spell Mother’s Day
Anna Jarvis, who petitioned Congress to create a holiday in honor of her mom and mothers around the nation, insisted that it was a day for each person to pay tribute to his or her mother, so the term should be singular, to encourage celebrants to focus on their own mothers.
