Valley florist prepares for Mother’s Day rush as consumer spending is set to hit near-record

Mother’s Day spending is expected to reach $33.5 billion this year, according to the annual consumer survey released today by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics.

The figure is the second highest in the history of the survey, following last year’s record $35.7 billion.  

Most (59%) of those celebrating the holiday are shopping specifically for a mother or stepmother, followed by a wife (22%) or daughter (12%). 

As with previous years, the most popular gifts to give are flowers (74%), greeting cards (74%) and special outings such as dinner or brunch (59%).  

Consumers will spend a total of $7 billion on jewelry, $5.9 billion on special outings and $3.5 billion on electronics. Additionally, total spending on flowers is expected to reach $3.2 billion, while total spending on greeting cards is expected to reach $1.1 billion this year.  

We are speaking with Sharon Gonzalez, the owner of Coachella Valley Floral Distributors, about the trends she's been experiencing at her shop ahead of the holiday this upcoming weekend and the economic impact it has.