"M" may be for the many things she gave you, but what are you giving your mother this year?
Welcome to the first Mother's Day of the recession, a year when we have a little less to spend on dear old mom. According to a MasterCard survey, most of us won't be forgetting the special gal on her special day, with the average Canadian planning to spend between $20 and $100 for a gift.
Expect florist, candy and card stores to be amongst the busiest places this weekend, as kids scramble to pick up that last minute gift and a way to say thanks. Restaurants will also likely be packed for those taking mom out for dinner, so expect to wait for a table, especially on Sunday.
The survey indicates most of us plan to keep it simple, with 35 per cent opting for just a card and 29 per cent cooking something for the woman who made them so many repasts in the past. Ontario residents scored highest when it comes to using our culinary skills to surprise their mothers.
Other insights from the poll:
-Sons are more likely than daughters to opt for the easy way out with some flowers.
-Women are more likely than men to get something for their mother-in-law.
-Guys are more prone to taking mom out to a restaurant than women.
-And in the interest of fairness, more than half of all Canadians say they'll spend just as much on dad when Father's Day rolls around on June 21st.
So what
shouldn't you get the lady of the house on Mother's Day?
According to a poll released last year, the one gift mom will silently scorn is another appliance or utensil, something that will remind her of housework. Other weird gifts listed include a gong, a 20 lbs. bag of onions, a dead spider and - incredibly - a Father's Day card.
That may have come from someone who didn't read things too carefully.
Top five worst Mother's Day presents
1. Kitchen utensil or appliance
2. Cleaning products
3. A piece of clothing
4. A vacuum
5. An iron
Runners up
1. Only a card
2. Clothing
3. Flowers
4. Chocolates
The worst of all gifts
1. Dead spider
2. Cactus in a donkey shaped planter
3. Gong
4. Ceramic poodle with a feather duster inserted into the head
5. 20lb. bag of onions
6. Bottle of whiskey
7. Bad news
8. Father's Day card
Finally, you know the value of dear old mom - but how much would she be worth in the marketplace if we actually gave her a paycheque for all she does? Salary.com, which monitors such things, gauged the value of 10 different common 'mom' jobs:
- Laundry Machine Operator,
- Janitor,
- Van Driver,
- Housekeeper,
- Computer Operator,
- Cook,
- Day Care Centre Teacher,
- Facilities Manager,
- Psychologist and
- Chief Executive Officer.
After adding it all up, Canadian stay-at-home mothers would earn roughly $135,661 a year for their troubles, while working mothers would receive an additional $83,863.
But that's not their real value to their kids. As most of us know, when it comes to what they're really worth, your mom is priceless.
Related story:
Mother's Day gifts on a budget