digitalhub | After a year apart, majority of Americans are more appreciative of their moms than ever before

By Zoya Gervis // SWNS

New research has found the average person missed out on 28 days –– almost an entire month –– of in-person, quality time with their mom since the pandemic started in March of 2020.

A new survey of 2,000 people revealed the lack of motherly interaction has made this upcoming Mother’s Day more important than ever as 80 percent of people said they plan to use the occasion as an opportunity to make up for lost time and build new memories with their moms.

The time apart has made many people more grateful of their moms with 64% saying they’re more appreciative of her than ever.

And 65% say they view their mom as a superhero.

The survey, commissioned by Groupon and conducted by OnePoll found that for those planning to celebrate Mother’s Day in person, 84% are more eager to visit their mom for the day than ever before.

Results also looked at the lengths to which respondents are going, in order to make an in-person visit possible including getting vaccinated, quarantining ahead of the trip and planning something outdoors. It turns out that spending time with parents and grandparents is actually the driving force for respondents to get vaccinated (60%), as revealed by the results.

And of those celebrating Mother’s Day on May 9, three-quarters (76%) want their mom to have the best day ever, to make up for a chaotic 2020.

People are going out of their way to make this Mother’s Day extra special because 60% of moms said the past year was their most stressful as a parent.

Forty-eight percent of the moms studied want to use this Mother’s Day as a way to make up for lost time and build new memories with their families.

The moms surveyed identified coping with everything going on in the world, trying to keep their family healthy and safe, maintaining a healthy exercise/workout/activity regimen, having difficult conversations with their children about everything going on in the world and taking enough ‘me time’ as the biggest challenges they faced.

To show their appreciation this Mother’s Day, respondents said the top thing they’re doing this Mother’s Day is just spending time with family (32%).

That’s followed by getting their mom flowers (29%) and buying a card (24%).

Food was also high on the list — 24% want to take their mom to a nice restaurant, while 23% are adding the personal touch and cooking for her.

Seven in 10 of those celebrating Mother’s Day agreed: they need their mom to like her gift this year, as they want to show how much she means to them.

And based on a National Retail Federation study, this appears to be a wider trend as shoppers plan to spend $220.48 on average –– $16 more than last year and the highest in that survey’s history.

And, in addition to flowers or a card, the top gifts are going to include clothes, dinner out and a massage — followed by a shopping trip or a manicure/pedicure.

“While you can’t make up for missed time with loved ones all at once, Groupon knows that Mother’s Day is the perfect opportunity for families to start making new memories together,” said Brian Fields, Chief Commercial Officer at Groupon. “No matter how you plan to celebrate Mother’s Day this year, Groupon has so many options for families to show the moms in their lives just how amazing they truly are.”

TOP MOTHER’S DAY GIFTS FOR 2021