Mother’s Day is May 14. It will be the 103rd Mother’s Day celebrated in the U.S. since Woodrow Wilson officially declared it a U.S. holiday. According to the National Retail Federation, Mother’s Day is the third-largest holiday in the U.S. (behind Thanksgiving and Christmas), and in 2017, spending for Mother’s Day will reach a record high of $23.8 billion – up $2 billion from last year. Jewelry will account for $5 billion in spending, followed by taking mom out to eat, flowers, gift cards, clothing, consumer electronics, and personal services like a day at the spa. Jewelry and personal services had the highest increase in planned spending in this year’s NRF survey. About 30% of shoppers will complete their Mother’s Day shopping online.
Becoming Mom
The average age in the U.S. for having a first child is 26.3.
The Founder of Mother’s Day
Julia Ward Howe, who penned the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” campaigned to have Mother’s Day officially recognized as a holiday.
Mother’s Day Around the World
Almost every country celebrates Mother’s Day, but it’s not the second Sunday in May everywhere. In the UK, it is held three weeks before Easter Sunday. It is celebrated on August 15 in Costa Rica, March 3 in Georgia, the second Monday in May in Samoa, and August 12 in Thailand.
Whether you write a song for your mom or make her feel special with gourmet foods, moms are a reason to celebrate no matter how – or when – you celebrate her.
