Mother's Day spending expected to hit record $35.7B as flowers remain high on gift list

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Mother's Day is here and there are many ways to make mom feel special today. Among the top three gifts for mom are flowers but also gift cards and special outings.

This could also be a simple phone call, a delicious dinner, a relaxing day at the spa, jewelry, or a beautiful flower arrangement.

According to the National Retail Federation, consumers plan to spend $274.02 per person, the highest in the survey's history and up from the previous record high of $245.76 in 2022.

Pampering mom with some breakfast in bed, doing mom's least favorite chore around the house, or even just asking her what she wants and letting her pick, can be other gift ideas this Mother's Day.

For those making flowers their go-to gift, the California Flower Mall in the Fashion District in downtown Los Angeles is offering something for everyone's budget.

"I started loving flowers with my grandpa. He sadly passed away. He used to always give us flowers, and like, I just want to make people happy," said 16-year-old small business owner Nataly Ramirez.

The California Flower Mall will be open until 7 p.m. Sunday.

Mother's Day is here and there are many ways to make mom feel special today. Among the top three gifts for mom are flowers but also gift cards and special outings.

OTHER MOTHER'S DAY EVENTS IN L.A. COUNTY

Mother's Day in Los Angeles County Sunday will include mothers being presented with carnations during Masses at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels and a remembrance service at Hillside Memorial Park & Mortuary.

Archbishop José H. Gomez will celebrate the 10 a.m. Engish-language Mass at the downtown cathedral where he will bless all mothers present. Another Engish-language Mass will be celebrated at 8 a.m. and a Spanish-language Mass at 12:30 p.m. All three Masses will be streamed on facebook.com/lacatholics and youtube.com/olacathedral.

The remembrance service at the Culver City cemetery will begin at 10 a.m. in its large sanctuary and include music, song and prayer for what organizers call "an unforgettable morning of love, remembrance and tribute." It will be led by Rabbi Cantor Alison Wissot of Temple Judea in Tarzana and streamed at www.hillsidememorial.org.

The two-time Grammy-winning group Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea will perform at Vallarta Supermarkets' fifth annual Mother's Day Serenade at 9 a.m. at its Pasadena store. The performance will be streamed at Vallarta Supermarkets' Facebook and Instagram pages.

WHEN DID MOTHER'S DAY BEGIN?

Mother's Day was initially proposed in 1870 by activist-poet Julia Ward Howe as a call for peace and disarmament. It was celebrated in 18 cities in 1873, continued for another 10 years or so in Boston under Howe's backing, then died out.

The second attempt to establish Mother's Day began on May 9, 1907, the second anniversary of the death of Anna Jarvis' mother Ann.

Jarvis invited several friends to her home in Philadelphia in commemoration of her mother's life, which included providing nursing care and promoting better sanitation during the Civil War, helping save lives on both sides.

Jarvis announced to her friends her idea of a day of national celebration in honor of mothers, which was first celebrated on May 10, 1908, at the Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia, where Ann Jarvis worshipped.

The church is now known as the International Mother's Day Shrine.

West Virginia Gov. William E. Glasscock issued the first Mother's Day proclamation in 1910.

By 1911, it was celebrated in nearly every state. President Woodrow Wilson signed a congressional joint resolution in 1914 designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day nationally.

City News Service Inc. contributed to this report.