Have You Bought Mom a Mother's Day Gift Yet? A New Survey Reveals What She Really Wants

Are you in the process of selecting the perfect Mother's Day present? A new survey conducted by Lending Tree just revealed that what Mom really wants is to spend quality time with you. To obtain their findings, the company polled more than 2,100 United States consumers and asked them what they plan to give their matriarchs on this year's holiday; they also asked moms what they most hope to receive. Here, we highlight the main findings of the research—which is sure to guide your purchases leading up to this weekend's festivities.

If you're planning on getting Mom something big this year, you may want to reconsider. According to the survey, the number-one gift on her list is simple—a card (36 percent), followed by quality time (32 percent). If you want to pick her up a little something extra, 29 percent of moms said that they would be happy with flowers or plants; just 15 percent wanted jewelry. But a gift and some one-on-one time isn't the only thing she's wishing for—she wants an experience, too. Per the poll, 25 percent of moms hope to be taken out for a special meal.

While nearly 73 percent of consumers will get Mom a present this year, some may miss the mark when it comes to what she actually wants. Although 32 percent of mothers are hoping for quality time, only 21 percent of gift givers intend to provide that on Mother's Day. So, what will they gift her instead? Roughly 57 percent plan to give her a card (a good start!), followed by flowers or plants (53 percent), a gift card (31 percent), a special meal (25 percent), jewelry (21 percent), and something sentimental (18 percent). "Though it is a total cliché, it really is often the thought that counts on days like Mother's Day," LendingTree chief credit analyst Matt Schulz says. "Sure, it can be tempting to go flashy and spend too much money on a bunch of gifts, but you don't have to do it that way.

Although moms don't anticipate that their kids will spend big, with 78 percent saying they don't expect their children to go over $50, Americans are projected to spend an average of $225 on Mother's Day this year. Men drop the most money on the holiday, spending an average of $276, while women are expected to spend about $168. Of the men, fathers dig the deepest on this holiday; they likely have multiple women to shop for, including spouses, mothers, and grandmothers. In the same vein, men plan to give Mother's Day gifts more than women, with only 20 percent saying they won't buy a gift this year compared to 33 percent of women who say the same.