Where $33 billion Spent on Mother’s Day Went

Mother’s Day celebration didn’t catch fire as such this year, going by its spending $33.5 billion on a weekend. Last year, the amount spent stood at $37.5 billion.

But the 2024 celebration saw a higher individual spending to make their mums happy. While an average spending stood at $20 last year, the 2024 amount shot up to $254 this year, a 30 percent rise really, compared to the 2019 spending.

Who is buying what?

Well, for Uncle Sam, 86 percent of its adults celebrated the mothers or the mother figures in their lives. It is really a big deal, considering how the spending is rising in spite of inflation and the offshoot of covid 19 on the economy.

For the most part, those celebrating their mothers, according to projections, were buying hearts and flowers. Other gift items or treats include special outings, dinner or something. Talk about gratitude.

Though many might not know this: the Greek and Roman origin of Mother’s Day had a huge dose of idolatry.  Fertility goddesses like Rhea and Cybele took worship during ceremonies dedicated to fertility and motherhood then.

Even in its modern re-incarnation, the idea of homage didn’t vanish. 

Anna Jarvis, a feminist, launched the campaign after her mother’s death in 1905. By 1908, she organized the first celebration in a church in West Virginia. Six years after, President Woodrow Wilson officially made it a holiday, every second Sunday in May.

Diversity of faith has affected the sanctity of the date in Africa, especially in Nigeria. The Pentecostal accepted the US date; the Anglican followed the UK tradition; and the Catholics begin theirs as early as March.

As per the consumerist color of Mother’s Day, nobody has tallied the amount Africans spend celebrating the mums in their lives.