Mother’s Day spending poised for another record year

For the second consecutive year, Mother’s Day spending is expected to reach a new high.

Spending for Mother’s Day is estimated to total $31.7 billion this year, up $3.6 billion from 2021’s record spending, according to the annual survy by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. Approximately 84% of U.S. adults are expected to celebrate Mother’s Day, which falls on May 8 this year.

 Consumers are planning to spend $25 more this year on Mother’s Day purchases for a record average of $245.76. Jewelry sales and special outings such as dinner or brunch are driving this year’s spending increases, marking a record in the survey’s history for average spending in both categories. Forty-one percent of consumers are planning to gift jewelry this year, up from 34% in 2021 and total spending on jewelry is expected to reach $7.0 billion.

There is also a notable uptick in the number of shoppers seeking gifts of experience. Sporting event and concert tickets will be given by 27% of Mother’s Day shoppers, up from 23% last year and the highest since NRF started tracking this category in 2016.

Other findings from the survey are below.

• One-third (36%) of consumers are planning to make their purchases for the holiday online. Another 30% of consumers are planning to shop at department stores, 27% at specialty stores and 23% at local small businesses.

• More than half of consumers (57%) are planning to spend an average of $40.90 on a special outing such as dinner or brunch, signaling continued post-pandemic prioritization of quality time with loved ones.

• Greeting cards and flowers continue to be staple gift categories with 75%  of shoppers planning to buy greeting cards and 72% planning to buy traditional Mother’s Day bouquets.

• Thirty-nine percent of consumers are interested in gifting product subscription services such as Birchbox or Stitch Fix.

[Read More: NRF: Retail sales to grow between 6% and 8% in 2022]