How do you show appreciation for Mom on Mother’s Day? Take our 30-second poll #10

Mother’s Day is coming up on May 14. The celebration honoring the matriarch of the family, motherhood, maternal bonds and the influence moms have in society began more than a century ago on May 10, 1908, in Grafton, W. Va.

The first Mother’s Day was organized by Anna Jarvis, who made it very clear that the holiday was to be called “Mother’s” Day, in the singular, “to honor the best mother who ever lived — yours,” according to the Farmers’ Almanac. The observance became so popular throughout the United States that Jarvis asked Congress to set aside a day to honor Mom.

In 1914, lawmakers obliged, passing a joint resolution making the second Sunday in May each year Mother’s Day. President Woodrow Wilson on May 9, 1914, in response to that resolution, issued a proclamation declaring the holiday an annual nationwide observance.

Did you know the word “mom” is a palindrome, meaning it is spelled the same frontward and backward? And turned upside down, “mom” is “wow,” which seems appropriate for the woman who gave you life.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, out of every 100 women ages 45 to 50 in the nation, 19.6% are mom to one keiki, 35.1% have two kids and 30.2% have three or more. Results of an annual survey by the National Retail Federation released April 27 showed 84 percent of U.S. adults plan to celebrate Mother’s Day this year.

Consumers plan to spend more than $35 billion in appreciation of Mom this year, nearly $4 billion more than last year’s record of $31.7 billion, with an average of about $274 per person being spent on her.

As in previous years, the most popular gifts are flowers (74%), greeting cards (74%) and special outings such as dinner or brunch (60%). People also are expected to spend a total of nearly $8 billion on jewelry, almost $6 billion on special outings and $4 billion on electronics, all to show Mom they care.

While showing love for Mom should be a daily event, we want to know what you do to celebrate her on Mother’s Day.

Please leave a comment here or on social media to let us know why you voted the way you did — or let us know if you have another way of showing your mom appreciation on Mother’s Day.

We also are looking for stories about mothers who go above and beyond the normal maternal instincts. If you have a good one to tell, let us know at [email protected].

Mahalo for taking our poll.

And in case you missed it, click here to see the results of our last poll: What is the best way to humanely address the overpopulation of feral/community cats on the Big Island?