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Why Do We Spend Less On Father's Day Than Mother's Day? by megafem1: 1:56pm On Jun 15, 2017 |
If you are buying your dad a present for
Father's Day on Sunday, I bet you don't
spend as much as you did on your mum for
Mother's Day.
With Father's Day due to be celebrated on
18 June in the UK, US and more than 70
other countries from Argentina to Zambia,
retailers around the world are set to enjoy a
significant boost.
But while the amount of money we all spend
on Father's Day continues to go up every
year, it still trails far behind Mother's Day.
In the US, the average amount spent on gifts
per dad this weekend is expected to be
$135 (£106), says the National Retail
Federation (NRF), with total spending
expected to reach $15.5bn.
By contrast, Americans spent an average of
$186 on Mother's Day presents this year, for
a total $23.6bn, says the NRF. This is a third
more and the figures for the UK paint the
same picture.
So why do we spend more on our mums?
Dr Lars Perner, a consumer psychologist at
the University of Southern California, says
that most of us simply think our mothers
deserve better or bigger presents.
"To some extent, wrong or right, mothers
are often considered to be the biggest
contributor to the home life.
"People tend to understand the sacrifices
they make, that's what you see. Moms have
a special place in people's hearts - there's a
special idea of what they offer the family."
Dr Perner adds that perhaps dads are also
"less interested in tangible tokens of
appreciation".
"I think fathers think they don't really need
expensive, showy trinkets, or anything like
mom's bouquet of flowers." he says.
"They're not typically gift oriented. They
generally don't expect anyone to feel an
obligation to buy material items for them."
But before millions of dads complain that
they really would like some generous gifts
this weekend, Prof Kyle Murray, of the
Alberta School of Business in Canada, says
figures show that every year more money is
being spent on Father's Day.
"Retailers have long made a big push on
Mother's Day because demand for gift-
giving was strong, and Father's Day more of
an afterthought," he says.
With traditional gender roles continue to
break down, and fathers are doing more
housework and hands-on parenting "it is
not surprising to see more emphasis on
Father's Day," says Prof Murray.
He adds: "Retailers are of course happy to
cater to consumer demand and have been
ramping up their Father's Day promotions,
as it becomes a more active spending
occasion."
Kit Yarrow, a consumer psychologist at
Golden Gate University in San Francisco,
adds that as today's fathers have a "more
emotional" relationship with their children
than past generations, it makes it "a whole
lot easier to buy presents for him, because
his kids know him on a deeper level".
Father's Day facts
The modern Father's Day is an American
invention, with the first widespread
celebration taking place on 1910, two
year's after the first Mother's Day
celebration
While Mother's Day was officially
recognised by the US government in
1913, Father's Day had to wait until
1972
Unlike Mother's Day, Father's Day is
celebrated on the same day in the US
and the UK - the third Sunday in June
Portugal, Spain and Italy are rare
exceptions, celebrating Father's Day on
19 March, which is also St Joseph's Day -
the date chosen to celebrate Joseph, the
husband of Jesus' mother
Father's Day started to be marked in the
UK after World War Two
More than 70 countries now mark
Father's Day on the third Sunday in June
But what presents should you buy your dad
for Sunday?
Male grooming products remain a hardy
perennial, with firms in that sector looking
forward to a significant rise in sales.
In London, Truefitt & Hill, the world's oldest
barber shop, says that sales of its shaving,
hair care and aftershaves go up significantly
this week.
Joanna Broughton, managing director of the
business, which also has outlets around the
world, and an online operation, says: "We do
find that our Father's Day offers are
exceptionally popular, and we do find
ourselves exceptionally busy on this very
special occasion."
Meanwhile, US shaving giant Gillette is for
the second year in a row running a
promotional campaign. The "Go Ask Dad"
initiative encourages sons to ask their
fathers for advice rather than look things up
on the internet.
"We've always been a champion of Father's
Day, and passing on shaving traditions,"
says Barbara Diecker, North American
communication manager for Gillette.
For dads who might be hoping for
something more fun than a new razor this
weekend, a number of surveys on both
sides of the Atlantic are a useful guide to
what you may receive.
In the US, the most popular Father's Day
presents, in descending order are - dinner
or brunch, clothes, gift cards, power tools,
personal care products, sports goods, and
car related items.
Meanwhile, the best-selling gifts in the UK
are chocolate, alcohol, books, gadgets and
aftershave. And the total UK spend in 2015
was £684m, up from £658m in 2014.
If you are going to buy your dad a present
you'll probably buy a card, too. But yet again,
you are unlikely to spend as much on the
card as you did for your mother.
Last year the average amount spent on a
Father's Day card in the UK was £1.85, says
the Greeting Card Association of the UK,
comparer to £2.09 for a Mother's Day card.
Miles Robinson, co-founder of UK card-shop
chain House of Cards, agrees that "dads
don't get quite the same recognition" as
mums."Perhaps fathers aren't so bothered about
the sentimental side of cards, or gift giving,
at Father's Day as mums are for Mother's
Day, but we think it's just as important to
remember and recognise the role that dads
play."
Yet while mums may overall get more
generous presents and more expensive
cards, there may be one area where dads
come out on top - we buy them nicer bottles
of booze.
UK wine merchant Berry Bros & Rudd says
that its figures suggest that customers are
spending more on wine and spirits for
Father's Day than for Mother's Day.
While it hasn't revealed its underlying sales
figures, it says that last year the value of
products bought for Father's Day soared by
240%, compared with an increase of just
13% for Mother's Day.
Best-sellers for Father's Day include its own-
label gin, whiskies and "Good Ordinary
Claret", its popular red wine from Bordeaux
in France. |
Re: Why Do We Spend Less On Father's Day Than Mother's Day? by Coursetrouble: 2:01pm On Jun 15, 2017 |
because fathers are the ones that fvck mothers. |
Re: Why Do We Spend Less On Father's Day Than Mother's Day? by makydebbie(f): 2:04pm On Jun 15, 2017 |
Couldn't read your long epistle. But I think most fathers are "absentee fathers". Not always around like the mom, they think bringing food and shelter is what parenting is all about. But truth is, it goes deeper than that. They leave everything for the mom which brings the emotional bond with both mother and child. We know there is the emotional bond, but it gets stronger when the mother also takes the father figure. But then I said, "most men". |
Re: Why Do We Spend Less On Father's Day Than Mother's Day? by wordbank(m): 2:33pm On Jun 15, 2017 |
Cos men are givers and women receivers |
Re: Why Do We Spend Less On Father's Day Than Mother's Day? by Nobody: 6:36pm On Jun 15, 2017 |
because fathers aren't always there for their kids,so why should kids bother themselves about them |
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