The Truth About Mother's Day in America

THE TRUTH ABOUT Mother's Doy in America Historical or Hallmark Holiday? Noble Beginnings The first North American Mother's Day was conceptualized with Julia Ward Howe's Mother's Day Proclamation in 1870. Howe penned The Battle Hymn of the Republic 12 years earlier, but had become so distraught by the death and carnage of the Civil War that she called on Mothers to come together and protest the futility of their sons killing the sons of other mothers. She imagined an International Mother's Day celebrating peace and motherhood: Arise, then, women of this day! Arise all women who have hearts, Whether your baptism be that of water or of tears Say firmly: .....We women of one oountry Will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs........" Upon Howe's death, Ann Reeves Jarvis, leader of a West Virginia women's group, and later her daughter Anna, carried on the spirit of the day and ultimately, in 1914 Woodrow Wilson signed it into national observance, declaring the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. "I wanted it to be a day of sentiment, not profit." THE FIGHTOUER COoMMERCIALIZATION The holiday flourished in the United States and flowers, especially white carnations, became very POPULAR. One business journal, Florists Review, went so far as to print, "This was a holiday that could be exploited." This budding commercialization of Mother's Day greatly disturbed Jarvis: 1923 JARVIS sued to stop a Mother's Day event JARVIS 1930 JARVIS was arrested for disturbing the peace at another while protesting their sale of flowers. 1938 Time Magazine ran an article about Jarvis's fight to copyright Mother's Day, but by then it was already too late to change the commercial trend. 1948 ANNA JARVIS dies, blind, poor and childless. Jarvis would never experience motherhood. And she would never learn that it was, ironically, The Florist's Exchange that had anonymously paid for her care. Today In the United States Mother's Day continues to be highly commercialized. The National Retail Foundation estimates Mother's Day is a $14 Billion industrŲ. Florists see their highest sales in May. US restaurants claim that it is the busiest day of the year. Long distance telephone calls also peak on this day. The US Postal Service experiences increased volume during the surrounding days. According to Hallmark 96 of American consumers take part in shopping on Mother's Day Retailers report it as the second highest gift giving day of the year behind Christmas. 83.3% of Americăns 18 yearś+ Celebrate Mother's Day How is AMERICA planning to spend on Mother's Day? Average per buyers Total (billions) Combined Net Average $126.9 $14.59 (billions) Consumer electronics or computer related accessories $87.70 $0.91 Jewelry $83.66 $2.52 Flowers $25.62 $1.92 Greeting Cards $17.79 $0.67 Clothing or clothing accessories $39.08 $1.28 Gift Certificate(s) $37.36 $1.47 Books or CDs $17.79 $0.43 Housewares or gardening tools $34.17 $0.57 Personal Service (spa, massage) $57.94 $0.93 Other $37.66 $1.03 < Special outing, such as dinner or brunch $48.24 $2.87 Where will GIFTS be purchased this year? Who do they plan to buy for? Discount Store 30.40% 62.60% ) Mother or Stepmother Department Store 30.60% 20.60% Wife Specialty Clothing Store 6.20% 9.40% Daughter Specialty Store 33.60% 7.90% Grandmother Online 19.70% 7.60% Sister Catalog 2.50% 6.80% Friend 1.70% ) Godmother 11.20% ) Other relative 10% No one Sources: mothersdaycentral.com, National Retail Foundation (NRF analysis by BIGresearch) 006 1950 THE TRUTH ABOUT Mother's Doy in America Historical or Hallmark Holiday? Noble Beginnings The first North American Mother's Day was conceptualized with Julia Ward Howe's Mother's Day Proclamation in 1870. Howe penned The Battle Hymn of the Republic 12 years earlier, but had become so distraught by the death and carnage of the Civil War that she called on Mothers to come together and protest the futility of their sons killing the sons of other mothers. She imagined an International Mother's Day celebrating peace and motherhood: Arise, then, women of this day! Arise all women who have hearts, Whether your baptism be that of water or of tears Say firmly: .....We women of one oountry Will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs........" Upon Howe's death, Ann Reeves Jarvis, leader of a West Virginia women's group, and later her daughter Anna, carried on the spirit of the day and ultimately, in 1914 Woodrow Wilson signed it into national observance, declaring the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. "I wanted it to be a day of sentiment, not profit." THE FIGHTOUER COoMMERCIALIZATION The holiday flourished in the United States and flowers, especially white carnations, became very POPULAR. One business journal, Florists Review, went so far as to print, "This was a holiday that could be exploited." This budding commercialization of Mother's Day greatly disturbed Jarvis: 1923 JARVIS sued to stop a Mother's Day event JARVIS 1930 JARVIS was arrested for disturbing the peace at another while protesting their sale of flowers. n un ra 1938 Time Magazine ran an article about Jarvis's fight to copyright Mother's Day, but by then it was already too late to change the commercial trend. 1948 ANNA JARVIS dies, blind, poor and childless. Jarvis would never experience motherhood. And she would never learn that it was, ironically, The Florist's Exchange that had anonymously paid for her care. Today In the United States Mother's Day continues to be highly commercialized. The National Retail Foundation estimates Mother's Day is a $14 Billion industrŲ. Florists see their highest sales in May. US restaurants claim that it is the busiest day of the year. Long distance telephone calls also peak on this day. The US Postal Service experiences increased volume during the surrounding days. According to Hallmark 96 of American consumers take part in shopping on Mother's Day Retailers report it as the second highest gift giving day of the year behind Christmas. 83.3% of Americăns 18 yearś+ Celebrate Mother's Day How is AMERICA planning to spend on Mother's Day? Average per buyers Total (billions) Combined Net Average $126.9 $14.59 (billions) Consumer electronics or computer related accessories $87.70 $0.91 Jewelry $83.66 $2.52 Flowers $25.62 $1.92 Greeting Cards $17.79 $0.67 Clothing or clothing accessories $39.08 $1.28 Gift Certificate(s) $37.36 $1.47 Books or CDs $17.79 $0.43 Housewares or gardening tools $34.17 $0.57 Personal Service (spa, massage) $57.94 $0.93 Other $37.66 $1.03 < Special outing, such as dinner or brunch $48.24 $2.87 Where will GIFTS be purchased this year? Who do they plan to buy for? Discount Store 30.40% 62.60% ) Mother or Stepmother Department Store 30.60% 20.60% Wife Specialty Clothing Store 6.20% 9.40% Daughter Specialty Store 33.60% 7.90% Grandmother Online 19.70% 7.60% Sister Catalog 2.50% 6.80% Friend 1.70% ) Godmother 11.20% ) Other relative 10% No one Sources: mothersdaycentral.com, National Retail Foundation (NRF analysis by BIGresearch) 006 1950 THE TRUTH ABOUT Mother's Doy in America Historical or Hallmark Holiday? Noble Beginnings The first North American Mother's Day was conceptualized with Julia Ward Howe's Mother's Day Proclamation in 1870. Howe penned The Battle Hymn of the Republic 12 years earlier, but had become so distraught by the death and carnage of the Civil War that she called on Mothers to come together and protest the futility of their sons killing the sons of other mothers. She imagined an International Mother's Day celebrating peace and motherhood: Arise, then, women of this day! Arise all women who have hearts, Whether your baptism be that of water or of tears Say firmly: .....We women of one oountry Will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs........" Upon Howe's death, Ann Reeves Jarvis, leader of a West Virginia women's group, and later her daughter Anna, carried on the spirit of the day and ultimately, in 1914 Woodrow Wilson signed it into national observance, declaring the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. "I wanted it to be a day of sentiment, not profit." THE FIGHTOUER COoMMERCIALIZATION The holiday flourished in the United States and flowers, especially white carnations, became very POPULAR. One business journal, Florists Review, went so far as to print, "This was a holiday that could be exploited." This budding commercialization of Mother's Day greatly disturbed Jarvis: 1923 JARVIS sued to stop a Mother's Day event JARVIS 1930 JARVIS was arrested for disturbing the peace at another while protesting their sale of flowers. n un ra 1938 Time Magazine ran an article about Jarvis's fight to copyright Mother's Day, but by then it was already too late to change the commercial trend. 1948 ANNA JARVIS dies, blind, poor and childless. Jarvis would never experience motherhood. And she would never learn that it was, ironically, The Florist's Exchange that had anonymously paid for her care. Today In the United States Mother's Day continues to be highly commercialized. The National Retail Foundation estimates Mother's Day is a $14 Billion industrŲ. Florists see their highest sales in May. US restaurants claim that it is the busiest day of the year. Long distance telephone calls also peak on this day. The US Postal Service experiences increased volume during the surrounding days. According to Hallmark 96 of American consumers take part in shopping on Mother's Day Retailers report it as the second highest gift giving day of the year behind Christmas. 83.3% of Americăns 18 yearś+ Celebrate Mother's Day How is AMERICA planning to spend on Mother's Day? Average per buyers Total (billions) Combined Net Average $126.9 $14.59 (billions) Consumer electronics or computer related accessories $87.70 $0.91 Jewelry $83.66 $2.52 Flowers $25.62 $1.92 Greeting Cards $17.79 $0.67 Clothing or clothing accessories $39.08 $1.28 Gift Certificate(s) $37.36 $1.47 Books or CDs $17.79 $0.43 Housewares or gardening tools $34.17 $0.57 Personal Service (spa, massage) $57.94 $0.93 Other $37.66 $1.03 < Special outing, such as dinner or brunch $48.24 $2.87 Where will GIFTS be purchased this year? Who do they plan to buy for? Discount Store 30.40% 62.60% ) Mother or Stepmother Department Store 30.60% 20.60% Wife Specialty Clothing Store 6.20% 9.40% Daughter Specialty Store 33.60% 7.90% Grandmother Online 19.70% 7.60% Sister Catalog 2.50% 6.80% Friend 1.70% ) Godmother 11.20% ) Other relative 10% No one Sources: mothersdaycentral.com, National Retail Foundation (NRF analysis by BIGresearch) 006 1950 THE TRUTH ABOUT Mother's Doy in America Historical or Hallmark Holiday? Noble Beginnings The first North American Mother's Day was conceptualized with Julia Ward Howe's Mother's Day Proclamation in 1870. Howe penned The Battle Hymn of the Republic 12 years earlier, but had become so distraught by the death and carnage of the Civil War that she called on Mothers to come together and protest the futility of their sons killing the sons of other mothers. She imagined an International Mother's Day celebrating peace and motherhood: Arise, then, women of this day! Arise all women who have hearts, Whether your baptism be that of water or of tears Say firmly: .....We women of one oountry Will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs........" Upon Howe's death, Ann Reeves Jarvis, leader of a West Virginia women's group, and later her daughter Anna, carried on the spirit of the day and ultimately, in 1914 Woodrow Wilson signed it into national observance, declaring the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. "I wanted it to be a day of sentiment, not profit." THE FIGHTOUER COoMMERCIALIZATION The holiday flourished in the United States and flowers, especially white carnations, became very POPULAR. One business journal, Florists Review, went so far as to print, "This was a holiday that could be exploited." This budding commercialization of Mother's Day greatly disturbed Jarvis: 1923 JARVIS sued to stop a Mother's Day event JARVIS 1930 JARVIS was arrested for disturbing the peace at another while protesting their sale of flowers. n un ra 1938 Time Magazine ran an article about Jarvis's fight to copyright Mother's Day, but by then it was already too late to change the commercial trend. 1948 ANNA JARVIS dies, blind, poor and childless. Jarvis would never experience motherhood. And she would never learn that it was, ironically, The Florist's Exchange that had anonymously paid for her care. Today In the United States Mother's Day continues to be highly commercialized. The National Retail Foundation estimates Mother's Day is a $14 Billion industrŲ. Florists see their highest sales in May. US restaurants claim that it is the busiest day of the year. Long distance telephone calls also peak on this day. The US Postal Service experiences increased volume during the surrounding days. According to Hallmark 96 of American consumers take part in shopping on Mother's Day Retailers report it as the second highest gift giving day of the year behind Christmas. 83.3% of Americăns 18 yearś+ Celebrate Mother's Day How is AMERICA planning to spend on Mother's Day? Average per buyers Total (billions) Combined Net Average $126.9 $14.59 (billions) Consumer electronics or computer related accessories $87.70 $0.91 Jewelry $83.66 $2.52 Flowers $25.62 $1.92 Greeting Cards $17.79 $0.67 Clothing or clothing accessories $39.08 $1.28 Gift Certificate(s) $37.36 $1.47 Books or CDs $17.79 $0.43 Housewares or gardening tools $34.17 $0.57 Personal Service (spa, massage) $57.94 $0.93 Other $37.66 $1.03 < Special outing, such as dinner or brunch $48.24 $2.87 Where will GIFTS be purchased this year? Who do they plan to buy for? Discount Store 30.40% 62.60% ) Mother or Stepmother Department Store 30.60% 20.60% Wife Specialty Clothing Store 6.20% 9.40% Daughter Specialty Store 33.60% 7.90% Grandmother Online 19.70% 7.60% Sister Catalog 2.50% 6.80% Friend 1.70% ) Godmother 11.20% ) Other relative 10% No one Sources: mothersdaycentral.com, National Retail Foundation (NRF analysis by BIGresearch) 006 1950 THE TRUTH ABOUT Mother's Doy in America Historical or Hallmark Holiday? Noble Beginnings The first North American Mother's Day was conceptualized with Julia Ward Howe's Mother's Day Proclamation in 1870. Howe penned The Battle Hymn of the Republic 12 years earlier, but had become so distraught by the death and carnage of the Civil War that she called on Mothers to come together and protest the futility of their sons killing the sons of other mothers. She imagined an International Mother's Day celebrating peace and motherhood: Arise, then, women of this day! Arise all women who have hearts, Whether your baptism be that of water or of tears Say firmly: .....We women of one oountry Will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs........" Upon Howe's death, Ann Reeves Jarvis, leader of a West Virginia women's group, and later her daughter Anna, carried on the spirit of the day and ultimately, in 1914 Woodrow Wilson signed it into national observance, declaring the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. "I wanted it to be a day of sentiment, not profit." THE FIGHTOUER COoMMERCIALIZATION The holiday flourished in the United States and flowers, especially white carnations, became very POPULAR. One business journal, Florists Review, went so far as to print, "This was a holiday that could be exploited." This budding commercialization of Mother's Day greatly disturbed Jarvis: 1923 JARVIS sued to stop a Mother's Day event JARVIS 1930 JARVIS was arrested for disturbing the peace at another while protesting their sale of flowers. n un ra 1938 Time Magazine ran an article about Jarvis's fight to copyright Mother's Day, but by then it was already too late to change the commercial trend. 1948 ANNA JARVIS dies, blind, poor and childless. Jarvis would never experience motherhood. And she would never learn that it was, ironically, The Florist's Exchange that had anonymously paid for her care. Today In the United States Mother's Day continues to be highly commercialized. The National Retail Foundation estimates Mother's Day is a $14 Billion industrŲ. Florists see their highest sales in May. US restaurants claim that it is the busiest day of the year. Long distance telephone calls also peak on this day. The US Postal Service experiences increased volume during the surrounding days. According to Hallmark 96 of American consumers take part in shopping on Mother's Day Retailers report it as the second highest gift giving day of the year behind Christmas. 83.3% of Americăns 18 yearś+ Celebrate Mother's Day How is AMERICA planning to spend on Mother's Day? Average per buyers Total (billions) Combined Net Average $126.9 $14.59 (billions) Consumer electronics or computer related accessories $87.70 $0.91 Jewelry $83.66 $2.52 Flowers $25.62 $1.92 Greeting Cards $17.79 $0.67 Clothing or clothing accessories $39.08 $1.28 Gift Certificate(s) $37.36 $1.47 Books or CDs $17.79 $0.43 Housewares or gardening tools $34.17 $0.57 Personal Service (spa, massage) $57.94 $0.93 Other $37.66 $1.03 < Special outing, such as dinner or brunch $48.24 $2.87 Where will GIFTS be purchased this year? Who do they plan to buy for? Discount Store 30.40% 62.60% ) Mother or Stepmother Department Store 30.60% 20.60% Wife Specialty Clothing Store 6.20% 9.40% Daughter Specialty Store 33.60% 7.90% Grandmother Online 19.70% 7.60% Sister Catalog 2.50% 6.80% Friend 1.70% ) Godmother 11.20% ) Other relative 10% No one Sources: mothersdaycentral.com, National Retail Foundation (NRF analysis by BIGresearch) 006 1950 THE TRUTH ABOUT Mother's Doy in America Historical or Hallmark Holiday? Noble Beginnings The first North American Mother's Day was conceptualized with Julia Ward Howe's Mother's Day Proclamation in 1870. Howe penned The Battle Hymn of the Republic 12 years earlier, but had become so distraught by the death and carnage of the Civil War that she called on Mothers to come together and protest the futility of their sons killing the sons of other mothers. She imagined an International Mother's Day celebrating peace and motherhood: Arise, then, women of this day! Arise all women who have hearts, Whether your baptism be that of water or of tears Say firmly: .....We women of one oountry Will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs........" Upon Howe's death, Ann Reeves Jarvis, leader of a West Virginia women's group, and later her daughter Anna, carried on the spirit of the day and ultimately, in 1914 Woodrow Wilson signed it into national observance, declaring the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. "I wanted it to be a day of sentiment, not profit." THE FIGHTOUER COoMMERCIALIZATION The holiday flourished in the United States and flowers, especially white carnations, became very POPULAR. One business journal, Florists Review, went so far as to print, "This was a holiday that could be exploited." This budding commercialization of Mother's Day greatly disturbed Jarvis: 1923 JARVIS sued to stop a Mother's Day event JARVIS 1930 JARVIS was arrested for disturbing the peace at another while protesting their sale of flowers. n un ra 1938 Time Magazine ran an article about Jarvis's fight to copyright Mother's Day, but by then it was already too late to change the commercial trend. 1948 ANNA JARVIS dies, blind, poor and childless. Jarvis would never experience motherhood. And she would never learn that it was, ironically, The Florist's Exchange that had anonymously paid for her care. Today In the United States Mother's Day continues to be highly commercialized. The National Retail Foundation estimates Mother's Day is a $14 Billion industrŲ. Florists see their highest sales in May. US restaurants claim that it is the busiest day of the year. Long distance telephone calls also peak on this day. The US Postal Service experiences increased volume during the surrounding days. According to Hallmark 96 of American consumers take part in shopping on Mother's Day Retailers report it as the second highest gift giving day of the year behind Christmas. 83.3% of Americăns 18 yearś+ Celebrate Mother's Day How is AMERICA planning to spend on Mother's Day? Average per buyers Total (billions) Combined Net Average $126.9 $14.59 (billions) Consumer electronics or computer related accessories $87.70 $0.91 Jewelry $83.66 $2.52 Flowers $25.62 $1.92 Greeting Cards $17.79 $0.67 Clothing or clothing accessories $39.08 $1.28 Gift Certificate(s) $37.36 $1.47 Books or CDs $17.79 $0.43 Housewares or gardening tools $34.17 $0.57 Personal Service (spa, massage) $57.94 $0.93 Other $37.66 $1.03 < Special outing, such as dinner or brunch $48.24 $2.87 Where will GIFTS be purchased this year? Who do they plan to buy for? Discount Store 30.40% 62.60% ) Mother or Stepmother Department Store 30.60% 20.60% Wife Specialty Clothing Store 6.20% 9.40% Daughter Specialty Store 33.60% 7.90% Grandmother Online 19.70% 7.60% Sister Catalog 2.50% 6.80% Friend 1.70% ) Godmother 11.20% ) Other relative 10% No one Sources: mothersdaycentral.com, National Retail Foundation (NRF analysis by BIGresearch) 006 1950