An original 2026 survey of 1,086 U.S. adults by Drive Research found that many moms want Mother’s Day to feel less like another obligation and more like a day that is actually for them.
The data shows mothers still value traditional gifts and family time, but many also want the holiday to feel more restful, more personal, and less tied to the work they often carry the rest of the year.
Ahead of Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 10, 2026, this article explores what moms really want, how that compares with what they got last year, and where gift givers may be at risk of missing the mark.
For Mother’s Day 2026, moms are more likely to say they want to go out to eat (52%), receive gifts (48%), do an experience (44%), have a meal at home (40%), and sleep in (38%).
Last year, the most common things moms did were received gifts (54%), had a meal at home (49%), went out to eat (36%), and did chores or housework (32%).
Our data suggests many moms are not looking to repeat last year’s version of the holiday, instead preferring a day that feels more special, restful, and experience-driven.
Some clear examples of this are:
Most moms still want the day centered on family. Among moms, 89% say they want to spend Mother’s Day with their children, 54% want to spend it with a spouse or partner, and 28% say their mother or mother figure.
Though, 1 in 5 say they want to spend some time on their own, which fits the broader theme of needing breathing room and relaxation built into the celebration.
That is part of what makes this year’s findings so interesting. Moms are not looking to be left alone so much as they are looking to be cared for, acknowledged, and given space to enjoy the day. Family still matters most, but so does relief.
The most wanted gifts are a handwritten card (50%), gift cards (48%), flowers (40%), experience gifts (37%), and gifts tied to hobbies or interests (36%) such as reading or gardening.
But the data also makes it clear that a meaningful Mother’s Day gift does not have to be expensive. Many moms also say they would want something homemade (31%), a day off from household responsibilities (22%), or breakfast in bed (17%).
That is even more true for mothers in the thick of parenting. When compared to empty nesters, mothers with children in the household are…
More than anything, moms want a gift that feels personal or thoughtful (81%), while 49% say sentimental value matters, 41% say it should reflect their interests, and 37% say it should show effort or planning.
By comparison, fewer than 1 in 10 moms say a gift that is high quality is important (8%), which suggests emotional meaning matters far more than buying something expensive if it does not reflect what she actually likes, uses, or values.
That helps explain why handwritten cards are the most sought after gift, and why something homemade or an experience can outperform more standard categories. The data suggests moms are not just evaluating the item itself. They are reading the intention behind it.
Among non-mothers who expect to celebrate Mother’s Day this year, the most commonly planned gifts for the moms in their lives are flowers (48%), food or beverages (47%), handwritten cards (46%), gift cards (34%), and hobby-related gifts (30%).
That sounds thoughtful on the surface, but it also suggests many gift givers are still leaning on traditional defaults rather than the more tailored gestures moms describe wanting.
The biggest gaps show up in the gifts that require a little more thought or effort. Some clear examples of this are:
That mismatch is especially interesting because almost all gift givers are confident in their ability to choose a Mother’s Day gift that the person actually wants (99%).
That confidence is not entirely misplaced, because cards and flowers still resonate with a lot of moms. But the broader data suggests many people understand the broad outline of Mother’s Day while still missing some of the most meaningful details, especially around experiences, homemade gifts, and practical relief.
One of the clearest themes in the survey is that Mother’s Day can still come with a lot of work for the very people it is meant to celebrate. Nearly 1 in 3 mothers are responsible for coordinating their own Mother’s Day plans (31%).
Moms most often say they want cooking (33%), cleaning (31%), and planning meals or activities (18%) off their plate, which suggests the holiday still carries plenty of mental and physical load.
That tension shows up in how moms describe the day, too:
Seen through that lens, the appeal of rest, experiences, and a day off from household responsibilities makes a lot more sense, because many moms are not just asking for a gift, they are asking for a break.
For mothers with children still living at home, the appeal of Mother’s Day often comes down to getting a real break from the day-to-day demands of parenting.
| What moms want to do on Mother’s Day | Children in the household | Children out of the household | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep in | 47% | 27% | 1.7X more likely |
| A day off from household responsibilities | 31% | 9% | 3.4X more likely |
| Spend some time on my own | 24% | 14% | 1.7X more likely |
For mothers with children out of the household, the challenge is less about managing the day and more about whether the day is acknowledged at all, as 1 in 5 say they did not receive a gift last year (20%), 2X the share of mothers with children still living at home (10%).
A similar pattern appears by relationship status: 19% of single mothers say they received no gift last year, compared with only 11% of married moms, suggesting some mothers are more likely to be overlooked when there is no partner in the home helping drive the celebration.
The most common spending range is $50 to $149, selected by nearly half of Mother’s Day gift givers (44%). Another 19% plan to spend $25 to $49, and 13% expect to spend less than $25.
Though overall, the most plan to spend less than $100 on Mother’s Day this year (54%).
But, spend matters less than gift alignment. Moms consistently place more value on thoughtfulness (81%), sentiment, and effort than on expensive gift categories.
| Value | Percent of non-moms |
|---|---|
| Less than $50 | 31% |
| $50 to $149 | 44% |
| $150 to $199 | 9% |
| $200 or more | 12% |
| Unsure or don’t plan to spend money | 4% |
Planning for Mother’s Day usually starts earlier than people might assume. About 51% say they start planning a few weeks in advance, 23% start about a week ahead, and 14% start more than a month out. Some wait until the week of (11%).
As for inspiration for gift ideas, most people still trust themselves first. Over 3 in 5 say they come up with ideas on their own (65%), while 40% rely on past gifts that worked, and 36% say the person tells them what they want.
Social media (22%), online gift guides (21%), and AI tools or chatbots (9%) all trail behind instinct and habit, which may be one reason traditional gifts continue to dominate.
A majority of people say yes. In our survey, 53% agreed that women who have pets can be considered mothers on Mother’s Day, while 27% disagreed and 20% remained neutral.
So the short answer is that pet owners are broadly considered part of the Mother’s Day conversation, but not without some debate. The data suggests the idea has more support than opposition, though it is far from unanimous.
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Drive Research in April 2026, among 1,088 adults (n753 mothers, n304 not a mother, but expected to celebrate Mother’s Day in 2026).
Drive Research is a global market research company specializing in custom-built, quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Our market research firm takes pride in making organizations more successful by extracting insights from the data we collect to accelerate business strategy.
