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25 Mother’s Day Facts & Statistics: 2024 Trends

Updated
You'll be the favorite child with these impressive Mother's Day facts and statistics from around the world.

Mother’s Day is one of the most celebrated holidays of the year. Find out how it became so important to us and discover how we spend it for the moms we love.

Our guide to Mother’s Day facts and statistics will pique your interest in traditions in the U.S. and globally.

We’ll help you understand what makes Mother’s Day so special and share fun trivia about motherhood in general. You’ll be able to host your own quiz show on the topic and perhaps win the favorite child award – even if only for the day!

Top 10 Mother’s Day Facts and Statistics

These random facts are some of the most interesting bits of Mother’s Day trivia on our list.

  1. Mother’s Day doesn’t fall on the same day each year. In the U.S., Australia, and Hong Kong, Mother’s Day is on the second Sunday of May.
  2. Two billion dollars goes to personal services for moms, including visits to the hair salon and spa treatments.
  3. Ancient Greeks held religious festivals in honor of Rhea, the goddess of fertility known as “the mother of the gods”.
  4. The first American Mother’s Day was celebrated in 1908.
  5. A 2017 poll reveals that just 4% of mothers wanted to be served breakfast in bed for Mother’s Day.
  6. American moms received an average of 45 pieces of homemade art as gifts from their kids in 2021.
  7. In 2022, the average age of American women giving birth rose to 30 years old.
  8. It’s incredible to know that people make a total of about 122 million phone calls on Mother’s Day. It’s the busiest day of the year for calling moms!
  9. Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day an official holiday in 1914 to be celebrated on the second Sunday in May.
  10. In 2017, 24% of American mothers were raising kids without a spouse or partner.


25 Fun Facts About Mother’s Day

These facts and statistics include entertaining Mother’s Day trivia to expand your horizons on one of the biggest annual holidays.

1. History of Mother’s Day

The earliest celebrations of motherhood go back in history to ancient Egypt, with a yearly festival held for Isis. She was the Egyptian goddess of fertility and was often depicted breastfeeding a baby (1).

2. Day and Date

Mother’s Day doesn’t fall on the same day each year. In the U.S., Australia, and Hong Kong, Mother’s Day is on the second Sunday of May. In Britain and Ireland, Mother’s Day coincides with Mothering Sunday. It takes place on the fourth Sunday of Lent, about three weeks before Easter.

3. Not Just Moms

Americans purchased 113 million Mother’s Day cards in 2022. The average U.S. consumer buys 2.8 Mother’s Day cards, so it’s not just about moms (2). People buy cards for their wives, aunts, and grandmothers, even though Grandparent’s Day is on September 10 (3). “Gorgeous Grandma Day” also occurs on July 23 (4).

4. A Day of Beauty

Nearly $32 billion was spent on Mother’s Day gifts in 2022. Two billion dollars goes to personal services for moms, including visits to the hair salon and spa treatments. It’s the perfect holiday to pamper hardworking moms with relaxing massages, manicure-pedicures, and full-body treatments.

5. Motherhood

Pop Quiz: What is the average age of a first-time mother in the U.S.? In 2017, it was 26.8 (5). In 2022,the average age of American women giving birth rose to 30, the highest it’s ever been.

6. Ancient Festivals Celebrating Mothers

The ancient Greeks held religious festivals in honor of Rhea, the goddess of fertility known as “the mother of the gods.” Ancient Romans had Hilaria, a springtime festival dedicated to Cybele, another mother goddess. This festival included a parade and masquerade procession.

7. Call Your Mother

About 122 million calls are made on Mother’s Day every year. More calls occur on Mother’s Day than on any other day of the calendar year. During the pandemic in 2020, 1.75 billion minutes of phone calls and 6 billion texts were recorded. It proves that the funny old adage “call your mother” really bears weight.

8. A Lot of Moms

A total of 2.2 billion mothers exist worldwide, with about 85 million moms calling the U.S. home (6). Eighty-six percent of American women between 40 and 44 were mothers in 2018, with an average of 2.07 children each (7).

9. Mother’s Day Inspiration

American activist Ann Jarvis tried her best to connect Confederate and Union mothers during the Civil War. In 1868, she started a committee responsible for the first “Mother’s Friendship Day,” offering an interesting start to Mother’s Day (8).

10. First Mother’s Day

Ann Jarvis’ daughter, Anna Reeves Jarvis, continued her mother’s work with the first unofficial Mother’s Day celebrated on May 10, 1908. It consisted of a church service at St. Andrew’s Methodist Church in West Virginia, although it was not yet celebrated nationally.

11. All That Glitters

Forty-one percent of U.S. residents bought jewelry for their mom for Mother’s Day in 2022, up six percent from 2021 (9). Forty-seven percent of men buy jewelry as a gift on Mother’s Day, with sales expected to hit 7 billion dollars (10). That’s a lot of gold, silver, and rhinestone pendants that read “mom.”

12. Cards vs. Flowers

After Christmas and Hanukkah, more people buy flowers and plants for their moms on Mother’s Day than on any other holiday. One-quarter of all the flowers purchased throughout the year are bought for Mother’s Day (11).

13. Mothers Protest

Another revolutionary influence on Mother’s Day in the U.S. is author Julia Ward Howe. She wrote the famous “Battle Hymn of the Republic” and is the founder of the 1870 pacifist Mother’s Day Proclamation. It was an appeal to women in protest of the American Civil War (12).

14. The First Carnation

Carnations originally appeared on Mother’s Day for very different reasons than they do today. A red carnation was worn if your mother was alive, and a white carnation if she had passed away (13). Carnations last about three weeks, which is much longer than typical bouquets, so moms can enjoy them for longer.

15. An Official Holiday

Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day an official holiday in 1914 to be celebrated on the second Sunday in May. On May 11, 1913, Congressmen wore white carnations to honor American mothers. They voted on House Resolution 103, which led to the first observance of Mother’s Day.

16. Origin of Mom

Mother’s Day facts and statistics tell us the word “Mom” first appeared in the 1800s as a nickname for “Mamma (14)” All the things we call our mothers—mom, ma, mommy—likely stem out of our first words. Babies’ first word was “mama” in 12 of 33 countries in 2021 (15).

17. Dining Out

In 2018, approximately 87 million adults went to restaurants to eat, with 34% of U.S. adults planning a meal out for Mother’s Day (16). Forty-seven percent took moms out for dinner, while 45% went for lunch, 25% for brunch, and 10% for breakfast (17). During the pandemic in 2020, restaurant spending rose 103% on Mother’s Day (18).

18. Church Bound

Mother’s Day always falls on a Sunday, which is a traditional church-going day for many. In the U.S. in 2012, Mother’s Day was the third-ranked holiday for church attendance, behind Easter and Christmas, respectively (19).

19. Breakfast Not in Bed

A 2017 poll reveals that just 4% of mothers wanted to be served breakfast in bed for Mother’s Day. Nothing scientific about it; only 40 of 1,000 moms want this treat. Although a sweet gesture from children, perhaps mom ends up with most of the clean-up anyway. Take her out to brunch instead!

20. Motherhood Wins Out

In 2021, an average of $219 per person was spent on Mother’s Day. Only $190 on average was spent for Father’s Day (20). Sometimes, dads get lost in the fever known as Mother’s Day.

21. Highest-Paying Job

Salon.com claimed that the salary for stay-at-home moms might equal $162,581 per year (21). After all, she’s a housekeeper, nanny, personal chef, assistant, party planner, and much more at the end of the day.

22. Single Moms

In 2017, 24% of American mothers were raising kids without a spouse or partner. Roughly one in four moms do the job alone and are even more deserving of a terrific Mother’s Day.

23. Always a Mom

Fifty-eight percent of U.S. moms surveyed in 2015 claim that their role as a mother is “extremely important” to them, contributing to their identity as a person. Sixty percent of millennials and 58% of Gen X moms felt this way, while 51% of baby boomers with kids under 18 did (22).

24. Family Photo

A 2021 Canvaspop survey stated that American moms receive 45 pieces of homemade art as Mother’s Day gifts from their kids. They include drawings, traditional paintings, and also finger paintings. But what moms really want are updated family photos; they’re in less than half of the family pictures displayed in their homes.

25. Flower Shop Stats

Twenty-six percent of all holiday purchases at florists occur for Mother’s Day. It’s the third most popular holiday for giving flowers in the U.S., after Valentine’s Day and Christmas (23). Mother’s Day is a terrific opportunity to put together a colorful bouquet to uplift her spirits.

Mother’s Day in the U.S. vs. Worldwide

Discover how Mother’s Day is celebrated both in the U.S. and around the world.

  • Mom Coupons: American moms with young kids often receive a group or book of coupons, either handmade or pre-made. It’s a day when families and children can do chores for their mom and give her a much-needed day off. Making a DIY coupon book is a fun project for kids to do for their moms.
  • Spa Day: Spa treatments are growing in popularity when it comes to pampering a mom in need. Some adult children simply take their mom to the salon or spa for a day of beauty. Others send them vouchers for a relaxing massage or treatment or an amazing full-on spa weekend getaway.
  • Mexican Moms: In Mexico, Mother’s Day is on May 10, no matter what day of the week it falls on. It typically includes a visit to church and a traditional morning performance of the song “Las Mananitas” by mariachi singers (24).
  • Family Dinner: A Mother’s Day family meal in Mexico is full of delicious food for families to share. Classics like mole, pozole, enchiladas, sopes, and quesadillas satisfy Mexican moms. Gifts of flowers, candy, and greeting cards are still popular. Specifically, special floral arrangements are something moms expect (25).
  • Mothering Sunday: The United Kingdom has Mothering Sunday, which began in the 16th century and is on the fourth Sunday of Lent. It began as a medieval way to honor ‘mother churches,’ the church where one was first baptized and became a ‘child of the church.’ On Mothering Sunday, Christians would visit this church. It’s been replaced with a just-as-important visit to a mom’s home (26).
  • Polish Traditions: Mother’s Day is called Dzień Matki in Poland and falls on May 26th each year. Making gifts and cards is a big part of the Polish Mother’s Day tradition. Children create handmade cards decorated with paper flowers called laurki, which are often made at school (27).
  • A Medal for Mom: In 1920s France, mothers with large families were awarded medals. These were given in thanks for their help in rebuilding the population after World War I. Today, French moms expect to receive a flower-shaped cake for Mother’s Day (28).
  • Set Her Free: In the former Yugoslavia, children would get to tie up their mothers for Mother’s Day. She would only be set free if she agreed to “pay” her children with candy and treats. It’s a good deal for the kids (29)!
  • Mother Icons: Spain and Portugal celebrate Mother’s Day on December 8 by honoring both the Virgin Mary and their own mothers (30).
  • Japanese Celebrations: Japan’s modern equivalent of Mother’s Day began in 1931. It used to be celebrated on Empress Kōjun’s birthday, March 6, but is now the second Sunday in May. Mother’s Day in Japan is called Haha no Hi (31).

FAQs

How Does Mother’s Day Rank Among U.S. Holidays?

Mother’s Day comes in third place when looking at the popularity of U.S. holidays. Thanksgiving is first, with 80% of the population celebrating it. Followed closely behind by Veteran’s Day and Mother’s Day, with 76% of Americans celebrating both holidays (32).

How Much Money was Spent on Mother’s Day in 2022?

Americans spent a total of 31 billion dollars on Mother’s Day in 2022. That’s 3.6 billion dollars more than was spent in 2021 when the total equaled 18.6 billion dollars. It’s not a surprising number, since 84% of Americans celebrate Mother’s Day every year (33). The average family spends about $245 on Mother’s Day, which adds up fast (34).

What Flower Symbolizes Mother’s Day?

Carnations are the official flower of Mother’s Day. They signify everything from purity and faith to love and beauty, all celebrated aspects of motherhood. In particular, pink carnations usually symbolize the unconditional love a mother gives her family. They last longer than other flower varieties, so moms can enjoy them for up to three weeks after Mother’s Day.

Does Mother’s Day Count if You are Pregnant?

Most agree that Mother’s Day counts just as much if you are pregnant. Whether newly pregnant or preparing for birth, a mother-to-be can enjoy the holiday as a celebration of motherhood to come. It’s good to make sure the expecting mom has shared the news with family and friends. If she has, celebrate both her and her baby to come.

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About the Author

Maryana Vestic

Maryana Vestic is a Brooklyn-based writer, editor, and food photographer with a background in entertainment Business Affairs. She studied film at NYU, Irish Theatre Studies at Trinity College Dublin, and has an MFA in Creative Writing Nonfiction from The New School. She loves cooking, baking, hiking, and horror films, as well as running a local baking business in Brooklyn with her boyfriend.