By Danielle Moore // SWNS
The average mom will receive 45 pieces of homemade artwork as gifts from her kids throughout the course of her career as a mom, according to new research.
With collections of that size, many mothers could fill a museum with their “made-for-mom” masterpieces.
A new poll of 2,000 moms who have ever received a homemade gift from their child found that the average respondent has been gifted six drawings, four finger paintings and four watercolor paintings crafted by their offspring for Mother’s Day and other holidays.
Gifts from the heart were both common and appreciated among moms, with 88% saying that they loved being able to have a record of their child’s artistic ability at various ages.
Yet over four in 10 moms (41%) agreed that their child is “no Picasso,” and nearly one in four (24%) said that they wouldn’t mind receiving some more professionally created artwork for the day that celebrates them.
When it came to showing off their family at home, over three-quarters of moms (76%) have framed a child’s artwork.
But a full 67% say they wish they had more family photos to adorn their walls.
Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Canvaspop, the survey also looked at moms’ family photo struggles throughout the years.
Respondents revealed that their so-called “family photos” are often incomplete, with the average mom estimating that she’s only featured in less than half (45%) of the photos of her immediate family.
And that likely has something to do with the fact that 62% of moms agree that they are “often” not in their family photos because they are the one taking them.
“Moms are amazing about making sure that their family’s biggest moments are captured,” said Brittany Norris, Brand Marketing Manager for Canvaspop. “That’s why it’s important to take the time to go through your favorite photos and print the ones that say thank you for always being there.
“Showcasing all of the hard work the mom is your life does with a gift that features a cherished family photo a great way to make her feel special this Mother’s Day — and it ensures that the gift will be both unique and memorable, a special, personalized gift she’ll always remember.”
Nearly seven in 10 respondents said they would enjoy a personalized Mother’s Day gift this year.
So it’s not entirely surprising that the average mom has held onto a gift made just for her from her child for 16 years.
Moreover, fifteen percent of respondents have even held onto one of their kid’s creations for longer than 30 years.
The survey also examined other Mother’s Day gifting gaffes that moms have faced, revealing some humorous anecdotes.
Forty-two percent of respondents reported having only pretended to like a gift from their child at least once in their career as a mom.
And over a third (36%) said they’ve had to stifle laughter upon receiving a homemade gift that didn’t quite look as the young artist intended it to.
“A family picture where everyone was a hotdog,” “a painting of a cow with his snout where his eyebrows should be” and “a picture of me that looked like an elephant,” were among the gifts in this category.
“All Mom really wants is a gift that is thoughtful and heartfelt,” added Norris. “A picture is worth a thousand words, so gifting mom a high-quality print or canvas of a family photo is a great way to say ‘I love you’ this Mother’s Day.
“It doesn’t take an expensive gift to show her how much you care, a simple photo can say it all. It’s the grown-up equivalent of the totally unique homemade gifts you made for your mom as a child that she held onto all those years – and something she’ll likely cherish for even longer.”
THE AVERAGE MOM’S HOMEMADE GIFT GALLERY
2.24 Homemade sculpture
2.07 Pieces of painted pottery
5.5 Drawings
3.8 Watercolor paintings
3.95 Finger paintings
1.37 Pieces of spin art
2.23 Macaroni noodle crafts
2.33 picture frames made of popsicle sticks
2.28 Craft creations made out of Legos
1.18 Crayon candles
0.95 Homemade brooch
3.48 Pieces of handprint artwork
2.09 Paper floral arrangements
2.40 Pieces of beaded jewelry
2.44 Painted rocks
2.94 “Best Mom” Awards
1.67 Homemade coupon books
1.33 Mason jar vases
1.24 Shrinky dink keychains
TOTAL: 45.49 Homemade gifts
