May 5, 2021 Issue, Page 12 of 15

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May 5, 2021 11 The idea of creating a Mother’s Day was first proposed by American poet and activist Julia Ward, who in 1870 wrote the Mother’s Day Proclamation as a call to unite mothers against losing children to war. The concept of Mother’s Day gained renewed traction in 1908, when Anna Jarvis began campaigning to create a day honoring mothers and peace. Within a few years, many U.S. states and Canadian provinces were observing Mother’s Day on the second Sunday in May. American President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed it an official U.S. holiday on May 8, 1914, and today Mother’s Day is celebrated in dozens of countries around the world. Top 5 Mother’s 86% of U.S. women ages Day Gifts 40 to 44 are mothers 69% $23.1 billion of shoppers purchase Flowers 25% of mothers are Total U.S. Mother’s Day Spending 55% of shoppers purchase solo parents Outings & Dining ••••••• 70% $180 average spending 45% of moms with children under 18 per person of shoppers purchase are in the labor force National Retail Federation 2018 Gift Cards Pew Research Center 2018 36% 42% of adults will dine at a of shoppers purchase Clothing restaurant or order takeout on Mother’s Day, 34% of shoppers purchase Jewelry Carnation The official flower of Mother’s Day Anna Jarvis handed out carnations, her own mother’s favorite flower, 77% of Mother’s Day to churchgoers in the the busiest day of the shoppers will purchase early years celebrating year for U.S. restaurants a greeting card Mother’s Day. National Restaurant Association 2018 National Retail Federation 2018