Spending to Hit Record $38 Billion for Mother's Day

It seems Americans are still in a mood to buy, especially for their mothers, Consumer spending on Mother’s Day is expected to reach a record $38 billion this year, according to the annual survey from the  National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics.

The amount surpasses last year’s total spending of $34.1 billion and exceeds the previous record of $35.7 billion set in 2023.

“Mother’s Day remains a priority for many Americans, and they plan to lean into the holiday despite current economic uncertainty,” NRF Chief Economist Mark Mathews said in a statement. 

Consistent with recent years, 84% of U.S. adults plan to celebrate Mother’s Day. On a per-person basis, consumers plan to spend a record average of $284.25 on gifts, up from $259.04 last year and the previous record of $274.02 in 2023.

Of those celebrating, 54% plan to purchase for their mother or stepmother, followed by for a wife (22%) or a daughter (13%).

The leading shopping destinations for gifts this year include online (33%) and department stores (33%), followed by specialty stores (29%) and discount stores (26%).

As with previous years, flowers remain the most popular gift category, with 75% of shoppers planning to purchase. Other top categories include greeting cards (74%), special outings such as dinner or brunch (63%), gift cards (55%) and clothing or clothing accessories (51%).

Jewelry leads Mother’s Day spending at $7.5 billion, followed by special outings ($6.4 billion) and electronics ($4.4 billion). Spending on flowers is projected to reach $3.2 billion, while greeting cards are expected to total $1.3 billion.

“Consumers are budgeting more and planning on shopping more across all gift categories this Mother’s Day,” Prosper Executive Vice President of Strategy Phil Rist said. “Electronics, in particular, are a popular gift category this year, with expected spending surpassing $4 billion for the first time in the survey’s history.”

Gifts of experience also remain popular, with a record one-third of consumers planning to gift experiences such as a concert or sporting event. When purchasing gifts, 46% say finding something that is unique or different is most important, followed by creating a special memory (39%).