- Mother's Day attracts more spending on cards, flowers and gifts than any non-winter holiday.
- The holiday is Sunday and mom would rather see you than anything else.
- Moms can offer unique gifts that enhance their children's lifelong trajectory.
Good news for those still struggling to figure out how to honor mom this Mother’s Day 2025.
Polls show she would much rather have your presence than your presents.
According to a survey conducted by YouGov in early April, when mothers were asked what activities they’d like for Mother’s Day, spending time with their kids topped the list at 61%. No. 2 isn’t even close: Go out to eat/drink at 38%.
The other activities, by the way, are spend time at home (35%), spend time with my mother/family (33%), then it dwindles to 18% or less with, in order: go for a beauty treatment, go out for an activity like a movie, spend time on my own, do nothing, spend time with friends and spend time away from my children with a romantic partner.
Once you’ve decided to show up, if you’re looking for a gift, that same survey has some suggestions. Favorites in the poll are, in order, being taken out for a meal or drinks, flowers, a gift card, wellness/spa experience, a handmade gift from the giver, candy, cash, personalize gift, greeting card, jewelry, photos of family/myself, clothing, beautify products, a vacation.
As YouGov pointed out, “Only 10% of mothers say they would prefer not to receive any gifts, reinforcing the idea that a thoughtful gesture, however simple, can go a long way.”
The data were weighted by age, gender, race, political affiliation, education level and region to be nationally representative of American moms, according to the study.
Spending to honor mom
Despite mom’s humble requirements when it comes to the gifts she‘d like to get, the National Retail Federation’s survey said Americans will be opening the purses and wallets to the tune of $34.1 billion — a count that includes not just gifts but meals and cards. Per-person spending is $259.04, according to the study, which included more than 8,200 adults.
More than 8 in 10 said they plan to celebrate the holiday, and the top three gifts, per their responses, are flowers, greeting cards and special outings. Given the high numbers, one assumes that some people will get combinations of those — or hope to.
Katherine Cullen, a federation vice president, told NBC Palm Springs that consumer spending is higher for Mother’s Days than other holidays that don’t take place in winter, such as Christmas.
Internet insights into mom
There‘s a lot about moms on the internet around this family-friendly holiday, including some studies on moms and their relationships.
Pew Research Center did a roundup of mom data in 2023. Among the findings:
- The age at which women become mothers has ticked up steadily. At the end of 2021, the average age for women having a first child was 27.3 years old.
- We also now know that the fertility rate has declined in the U.S. to 1.62 children on average. The rate at which the population would be replaced is 2.1 children.
- Moms still spend more time with their children than dads do, including taking on more child care responsibilities.
- They are also more likely than dads to say parenthood is harder than they thought it would be, but the “vast majority” of mothers really like that role and find parenting both enjoyable and rewarding — a key part of their identity.
Most moms report a high level of life satisfaction and most are very glad they had children, according to both Pew Research Center and Gallup polls. That’s particularly true for moms who have strong support, are financially secure and have figured out some work-life balance.
If you’re a new mom, you might want to avoid following other new moms on Instagram. A study in the journal Computers in Human Behavior, published in 2022, said that Instagram posts “idealize motherhood and parenting,” which can make moms in the wild feel like they fall short. Those idealized posts create both envy and anxiety that’s likely not good for mental health.
A study in the Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University Mankato also found that portraying ideal mothers just makes things hard for real mothers, who face both challenges and joys.
Happy moms are more likely to have teenage children who have fewer levels of mental health problems than those with moms who are not happy, according to a Marriage Foundation analysis of 13,000 families that followed them from the birth of the child to when the child was about 14.
A mother’s role
Research also shows what the early mother-child relationship provides for kids, including important secure attachment. “It is this initial foundation that predicts future emotional, mental, social and cognitive outcomes,” per research discussed by Juliette‘s House, which is a child abuse intervention center.
Mom plays a key role in helping a child develop emotional regulation, in the child’s social and cognitive development and in how well children cope with adversity. Those all have a lifelong effect.
“On this Mother’s Day and every day, it’s vital to acknowledge and support the pivotal role of mothers in nurturing the emotional, mental, social and cognitive well-being of their children,” per that blog.