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21st Century Mother’s Day Celebrations

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Mother and daughter smiling

There are some days you always remember, and one of them is Mother’s Day – the second Sunday in May. This year it falls on May 13, and it’s a day when millions of Americans appreciate their mothers and mother figures.

To help celebrate, Money Services is offering everyone a special chance to win $500 plus $500 to send to mom.

The idea of Mother’s Day was first introduced by Anna Jarvis, of West Virginia, in 1905. Jarvis wanted a way to mark the passing of her mother, so she asked a church minister to give a sermon in her memory. The minister went a step further, organizing a special Mother’s Day service for all mothers.

Jarvis thought it was such a great idea that she began writing letters to members of Congress to recognize Mother’s Day in their states. President Woodrow Wilson declared the first national Mother’s Day in 1914.

How have Mother’s Day celebrations changed?

Mother’s Day celebrations are much different today than they were 100 years ago. American children used to follow the tradition of serving their mothers breakfast in bed. But soon greetings cards, flowers and other gifts became the most popular ways of marking the event.

Today, it’s quite common to take your mom for a meal, a day out, or to pay for an experience on Mother’s Day. It’s even a common practice to simply send money to mothers, especially if they’re in a different county or state.

Mother's Day in numbers

According to Finders.com[1], on Mother’s Day last year:

  • People from Texas were the most generous spenders, averaging $248 per person. They were followed by New York ($225) and Washington ($210)
  • With just $30 per person, Oregon had the lowest-spending average. Wisconsin ($33) and Indiana ($34) were close behind
  • Millennials were the biggest-spending generation, with an average of $296 spent per person. The figure for Generation X was $137
  • Men spent an average of $177, compared to $97 for women

On Mother’s Day 2018, the National Retail Federation[2] predicts:

  • Americans will spend an average of $180 per person
  • Total spending will reach $23.1bn
  • 86% of Americans will celebrate Mother’s Day
  • People aged 35-44 will be the biggest spenders at $225 per person
  • Nearly 3 in 10 mothers would like to receive an experience as a Mother’s Day gift
  • 34% of shoppers will buy their mother jewelry, while 24% will treat their mom to a spa day

6 ways Millennials celebrate Mother’s Day

Millennials often live far from their childhood home, making Mother’s Day both an important day to reconnect with the family and a difficult one logistically. But even if you can’t celebrate Mother’s Day by paying mom a visit, there are plenty of other ways to mark the event.

Here are just six of the most popular ways with today’s Millennials:

  • Send money. One way to make your mom feel special on Mother’s Day is by sending money for her to spend on whatever she likes – whether it’s a new outfit or flowers.
  • Have a Skype call. If mom lives in another state or city, it’s easy to pick up the phone and wish her a happy Mother’s Day. But by using Skype, you’ll be able to see her, too. Best of all, a Skype call is completely free.
  • Watch a movie together. Even if you can’t see your mom in person, you can still share an experience together. It’s becoming increasingly popular to stream movies at the same time, and make the same snacks – it can feel like you’re in the same room. You could even call or message each other while you’re watching.
  • Share photos from a memorable location. A really personal way to mark Mother’s Day is to take a walk to a place that’s memorable for you and your mom. When you get there, share some photos along with a message.
  • Head to church. Say a prayer for your mother at your local church. Depending on where you live, there could even be a large church service where others are celebrating Mother’s Day in the same way.
  • Play games together. A fun way to celebrate Mother’s Day is to play a game together. You can get scratch off lottery cards in most grocery stores across the country, or you can play our scratch off game online at MothersDayScratchOff.com. Play along with your mom, wherever she lives. If you win big, you could split your winnings. Check out our store locator to see where you need to go to get this scratch card.

Have a happy Mother’s Day, however you choose to spend it.

[1] https://www.finder.com/mothers-day-spending

[2] https://nrf.com/insights/holiday-and-seasonal-trends/mothers-day

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