Tulips and chocolate

Mother’s Day brings 45 million euros into the coffers

A bouquet of tulips is right on trend for Mother's Day this year

(Bild: Gabriele Moser )

On May 12, the focus is on mothers. And people in Lower Austria are not stingy when it comes to celebrating. This is also felt by local retailers, who are expecting rising sales this year for Mother's Day. 

Whether it's colorful flowers, something sweet or a fine fragrance - Mother's Day is a welcome occasion for most families to give a gift. As many as 59 percent of Lower Austrians want to give someone a present next Sunday. 87 percent will give a gift to their own mother, and 20 percent will also give one to their mother-in-law.

Sales on the rise this year
These figures are of course music to Franz Kirnbauer's ears. The chairman of the trade division of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce confirms that Mother's Day is "an important driver" for the retail sector: no wonder, given that the blue and yellow economy is expecting sales of 45 million euros on this occasion this year. That is three million euros more than last year.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Stock Adobe)

Crafting, cooking, baking
The average Lower Austrian spends around 50 euros on a gift for their mother. Flowers come first, followed by sweets. Homemade items are also very popular - be it handicrafts, cooking or baking. Perfumes are found in ten percent of Mother's Day packages.

The language of flowers is a particularly good way of expressing feelings such as love or gratitude. Tulips are very popular.

Thomas Kaltenböck, Innungsmeister der Floristen in NÖ

Bild: Photographer: Fotograf & Fee / G

Lower Austria is a rose grouch
Lower Austria obviously has its own peculiarities when it comes to choosing flowers, as florist boss Thomas Kaltenböck knows. While roses are the most popular gift in the other federal states, tulips are the preferred choice for the breakfast table on Mother's Day between Enns and Leitha. Orchids and gerberas are the lowest-ranking flowers in Austria.

Conversation instead of a mouse click
Incidentally, the business representatives are particularly pleased that a whopping 87% of purchases for Mother's Day will once again be made in bricks-and-mortar stores this year. When it comes to buying festive gifts, Lower Austrians apparently prefer direct sales talks to scrolling through the internet.