Study Asks What Does Mom Really Want for Mother’s Day?

The average person will spend $152.52 on Mother's Day gifts this year, according to the National Retail Federation, which says the holiday will generate $18.6 billion this year.

Yet, a recent study commissioned by World Vision found moms often pretend to like Mother’s Day gifts and found many moms would prefer to receive a meaningful gift than a traditional gift of flowers or a card.

So, what are some ideas for meaningful gifts? Patch compiled a few ideas to get you started on finding the perfect Mother's Day gift.

Donate to a worthy cause in your mom’s name

The World Vision study found 64 percent of moms would prefer a gift that helps others. There are many local and national charities — from breast cancer research to homeless shelters — in need of donations. For a list of McHenry County charities, check out this site.

SleepOut for Shelter

The annual is being held this Mother’s Day weekend, May 12-13, in Crystal Lake. It is a benefit for the McHenry County PADS Shelter, a division of Pioneer Center for Human Services, in Woodstock. Last year, PADS served 591 homeless people in McHenry County, according to its website. To donate, visit PADS's website.

Buy handmade jewelry benefiting Pembroke Project

, one of the poorest communities in Illinois. Her pieces are available at Your Best Friend’s Closet, 3955 W. Algonquin Road, Algonquin. For more information, visit Project Pembroke's website.

World Vision

The international Christian charity makes it easy to get mom a meaningful gift through its gift catalog. You can go on the site and make a donation for things like deep wells or business loans for women around the world. To learn more, visit World Vision’s website.