Mother's Day gives people a special opportunity to show their gratitude to the moms, stepmoms, grandmas, aunts, and other maternal figures in their lives. Some people like to celebrate by going all out with Mother's Day gifts, while other families get together for a Mother's Day brunch or dinner. And even those with some geographical distance can still celebrate their mom by sending a card and celebrating virtually. Whether you're celebrating in person or from a distance, you can share these fun Mother's Day facts with everyone on May 8 this year. • Mother's Day is always the second Sunday in May, which means it's on a different date each year. This year it is on Sunday, May 8, 2022. •
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According to a 2021 YouGov poll, American mothers' top picks for Mother's Day gifts were a card, flowers, and/or a special experience with their family. Mother's Day is a pretty popular day to ditch the kitchen and eat out. Even during the pandemic, Mother's Day was a big one for restaurants: In 2020, consumer spending at restaurants soared 103 percent on Mother's Day Sunday and 63 percent on Saturday, compared to average daily revenue throughout the coronavirus pandemic, according to data from Womply. The average age for first time mothers has gone up over the last two decades. According to the CDC, In 2000, the average age has risen from 24.9 years old to 27.1 in 2020. Ancient myths allude to the fact that Greeks and Romans celebrated Mother's Day by honoring the goddess Cybele, personifying Mother Earth (Gaia) and the goddess of fertility, and Rhea, mother of the Gods. The current version of Mother's Day was started by Anna Jarvis in the early 1900s, according to Today. Jarvis got Congress to
recognize the holiday, founded the Mother's Day International Association and even trademarked the phrases "Mother's Day" and "second Sunday in May." Jarvis was inspired by her own mother, who had called for "Mothers Work Days" to improve conditions for soldiers on both sides during the Civil War. •
President Woodrow Wilson made mother's day an official holiday in 1914.
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"The traditional Mother's Day gift is a single carnation. A study, conducted by Nancy Etcoff, Ph.D., of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, concluded flowers affect human behavior, making people feel more compassionate toward others and happier when fresh-cut blooms are around.
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Other countries celebrate their own versions of Mother's Day. The UK has Mothering Sunday which is observed on the fourth Sunday of Lent. Spain and Portugal celebrate December 8 by honoring the Virgin Mary and their own moms.
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A Reuter's found Mother's Day is the most popular day for phone calls. Verizon reported a 13 percent increase on Mother's Day 2020.
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In 2021, the National Retail Federation predicted Americans would spend over $28 billion in Mother's Day gifts.
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According to research from Salary.com, stay-at-home moms should, in theory, make $162,581 based on the fact that a mother's job is never done. It's a 24/7,365-day commitment.
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According to Hallmark, about 113 million cards are exchanged every year, Mother's day is the third-largest card-sending holiday.
(Source: Excerpts from a woman's day article by Jacquelyn Lewis and Jamie Ballard, "20 Mother's Day Facts That'll Make You see the Holiday in a New Light, March 18, 2022.)
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