HUNTINGTON, NY – What do Huntington moms expect from their kids this Mother’s Day?

What many are likely to receive on May 8 is jewelry and a Mother’s Day brunch or dinner. These two categories break a record $31.7 billion spent on Mother’s Dayan increase of $3.6 billion from last year’s record, according to a report released last week by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insight & Analytics.

Some 84% of American adults said they plan to celebrate Mother’s Day with a gift, spending an average of $245 on their mothers and mother figures, according to the report. Jewelry stores alone are expected to see $7 billion in spending, according to the report.

This is good news for jewelry and souvenir shops around Huntington.

If you’re planning to buy Mom a dinner out, reservations go fast at restaurants in Huntingtonincluding those from OpenTable recently listed among the 100 Best Brunch Places in America. Bookings were up 39% from 2019 before the pandemic and 13% from 2021, the online booking service said last week.

And, according to the OpenTable survey, nearly half (48%) of moms want to celebrate Mother’s Day at a restaurant. The survey of 1,255 adults also showed that 45% plan to make up for lost time with their mother figures during the pandemic by “going big” this year.

“Everything to feel pampered”

A 2021 YouGov poll found The Five Best Gifts Moms Want are flowers, a card with a heartfelt message, a gift certificate for the spa or for a massage, jewelry and chocolate. However, most mothers are happy with the way their children honor them on Mother’s Day, with 58% saying they have never been disappointed with displays of affection and appreciation from their children. .

Some of the favorite places for gifts in Huntington include: The Flower Petaler, Scentsational, Madison’s Niche, Medici Fine Stationery & Gifts, Spa Adriana and The Beauty Window.

We conducted our own informal survey of several Patch moms. Although by no means scientific, it revealed similar themes.

“We’ve always had girls make homemade cards — even now that they’re teenagers,” one mom told us, adding that the handwritten notes are “so much more meaningful than any Hallmark card ever could.” be”.

Some new moms and those with young children don’t want the stuff so much as a break.

“New moms can’t expect anything from the kids,” one Patch mom told us. “I would say a restaurant gift certificate for them. That’s one less meal to cook.”

Another said: “My toddler makes me run all the time and doesn’t sleep so whenever I may need to take care of myself anything to feel pampered even just for an hour – manicure/ pedicure, hair blowout, restaurant a gift card so you don’t have to cook, or just an offer to keep it for an hour.”

It never hurts to leave a hint.

“I want a plant – not flowers, because they don’t last as long – but a plant that my husband knows I have a place for and the right light,” one mother told us. Another said, “you can never go wrong with a bottle of wine.”

And another Patch mom is taking a hike on Mother’s Day. “Children usually participate,” she said, “even if they don’t want to.”

Another said, “Alone alone! Overnight at hotel. Dinner or night out with friends. Meals pre-ordered and managed.”

Put mom in the picture

Precious, we have news for you: each of you will give your mom 45 homemade works of art until you leave the nest, according to a survey conducted last year by OnePoll for the art site Canvaspop. And while your mothers may say they will cherish your creative expressions as if Picasso himself were responsible for them – and, in fact, three quarters of them display some of them on their walls – another fact is that 41 % agree that you are “not Picasso”. .”

So change that, kids.

Last year, more than two-thirds of mums said they wanted more family photos for their walls, but with a catch: give mum a break from the shutter and take photos that include her. The average mother surveyed said she appeared in less than half of family photos.

This survey took place in 2021, but unless you’re using your camera’s shutter to take photos, the advice is valid.

Making memories with mom

With inflation at its highest level in 40 years, money is tight for many Huntington families. Experiences matter a lot with moms, and they don’t have to break the budget.

“I don’t need stuff,” one Patch mom tells us with a grown child. She just wants to spend quality time with her daughter.

“A mom’s perspective on Mother’s Day changes as kids get older,” another Patch mom said. “When they were little, homemade cards and a spa getaway for Mother’s Day were pure bliss. Now the perfect Mother’s Day for me is all about dressing up, going out to dinner, and listening to all their laughter and stories.”

But, she says, “I still love homemade cards and have kept them over the years!”

Here’s another idea: grab a cute fabric-covered journal and jot down some of your favorite mom memories. Be sure to include some of the advice she’s given over the years. And don’t forget to tell her she was right.

Or how about a treasure hunt for some of mom’s favorite things? This idea comes from Women’s Day. Or how about a personalized puzzle of a darling family photo featuring mom front and center? (This assumes you’ve followed the advice above and pulled Mom out from behind the shutter).

What’s your idea of ​​a perfect Mother’s Day gift? Tell us in the comments.