Each year, Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May.
As millions of Americans prepare to participate in the annual tradition, FOX Business took a glance at the day’s origins, how much money is spent and key stats on motherhood in the U.S.
Here are a few number-focused facts in honor of Mother’s Day.
1907 – Mother’s Day in the U.S. was established on May 12, 1907, according to Britannica. The day was reportedly started by Anna Jarvis, a Philadelphia resident who held a memorial service for her late mother, who died two years prior.
The service was held at Jarvis’ mother’s church in Grafton, West Virginia. Jarvis wanted to create Mother’s Day to honor mothers and the sacrifices they made for their children, according to History.com.
1914 – Seven years after commemorative church services spread throughout America for mothers, President Woodrow Wilson officially proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day.
Wilson described Mother’s Day “as a public expression of love and reverence for the mothers of our country,” according to a copy of his proclamation, which is viewable on the National Archives website.
43.5M – The U.S. Census reported there were 43.5 million mothers between the ages of 15 and 50 in 2014.
73M – In 2019, there were approximately 73 million children in the U.S., according to data from the Children’s Defense Fund.
$31.7B – Mother’s Day spending for 2022 is projected to reach $31.7 billion, according to forecast data published by the National Retail Federation.
23M – About 23 million flowers are sold on Mother’s Day each year, according to 1-800-Flowers.com, a leading floral retail company.
122M – Each Mother’s Day, there are about 122 million phone calls made, according to Florida Blue, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
$245.76 – Americans who plan to celebrate Mother’s Day will spend an average of $245.76 on gifts, according to the National Retail Federation’s 2022 projection.
4 – Four in 10 American consumers are planning to go to a local restaurant on Mother’s Day, according to the National Restaurant Association.
“Historically, Mother’s Day has been one of the most popular holidays to celebrate at restaurants,” said Hudson Riehle, the association’s senior vice president of research, in a statement.
Reporting from FOX News.
