What's the right approach for Mother's Day for a mother-in-law? While 57.0% are "happy to receive a gift", 35.5% secretly "do not expect anything"
A recent survey by System Research Co., Ltd. reveals that while 57.0% of mothers-in-law are happy to receive a Mother's Day gift from their daughters-in-law, 35.5% do not actually expect one, reflecting a desire to avoid being a burden. The findings suggest that Mother's Day interactions are shifting from physical gifts toward finding an appropriate, considerate relationship distance.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: March 28, 2026 at 17:22
- 🔍 Collected: March 28, 2026 at 21:59 (4h 37m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 15, 2026 at 09:20 (419h 20m after Collected)
System Research Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture), which operates the "Creative Work Mall Alulu" (hereinafter referred to as Alulu Mall), conducted a survey on "Daughters-in-law and Mother's Day" targeting women in their 50s and 60s nationwide whose sons are married.
As a result, 57.0% of the respondents answered that they are "happy" when they receive a present on Mother's Day.
On the other hand, the most common answer for their true feelings was "not expecting anything in particular" at 35.5%,
It can be inferred that behind this seemingly contradictory mindset of "happy but not expecting," there is a consideration of "not wanting to make the other person feel obligated."
Furthermore, 42.0% of the respondents answered that they "receive a gift every year" for Mother's Day from their daughter-in-law,
while 22.0% answered "sometimes," making a total of 64.0% who have experienced receiving a gift. On the other hand,
36.0% answered that they "have never received one." This shows the reality that Mother's Day interactions are not uniform across the board.
Survey Results
■ "Happy" but "Not Expecting" is the Most Common
57.0% of the respondents answered that they are "happy" when there is a present from their daughter-in-law (or their son and his wife) on Mother's Day.
On the other hand, the most common true feeling was "not expecting anything in particular" (35.5%), significantly surpassing "Presents" (11.5%). From these results, it is believed that Mother's Day is not seen as an "expected event," but rather a widespread sentiment of "I would be happy to receive something, but I do not want to burden the other person."
■ About 30% Say "I Don't Need Anything"
While "Sweets" was the most common answer for what they would be happy to receive for Mother's Day at 30.5%,
"Just showing their face is fine" at 25.5%
and "I don't particularly need anything" at 25.0%
were also present to a similar extent. It can be seen that a relationship without burden is valued more than physical items.
■ 30% Have a "Relationship Requiring Care"
Regarding the relationship with their daughter-in-law, while 36.0% answered that it is "good," 31.0% answered that they are "somewhat mindful/careful."
A relationship that is good but accompanied by a certain sense of distance can be observed.
■ Mother's Day: From a "Gifting Event" to "Designing Consideration"
From the results of this survey, Mother's Day is not just an opportunity for gifting, but
・Not making the other person feel obligated
・Not ruining the relationship
・Maintaining an appropriate distance
It was suggested that it is changing into a communication opportunity that requires such a "design of consideration."
Especially in the relationship with a mother-in-law, it can be said that "what level of warmth to interact with" is becoming more important than "what to gift."
Click here for details of the survey results:
https://alulu.com/media/tips_momsday_del/
* Request when quoting/reprinting data
When using the survey results and images from this release, please set up a link to the official site URL of "Creative Work Mall Alulu" ( https://alulu.com/) as the source of the quote.
[Survey Overview]
Target audience: Women in their 50s and 60s nationwide (whose sons are married)
Survey period: March 18, 2026
Survey agency: Crowdsourcing site
Survey method: Calculation of response ratios for each questionnaire item
Valid responses: 200 people
■ Alulu Mall's Initiatives
Based on the results of this survey, Alulu Mall has published an article titled
"Happy but not expecting" is the right answer? Mother's Day for a mother-in-law, the just-right way to choose,
and is sending out tips for those who are struggling with what to gift their mother-in-law.
▼ Click here for the article
https://alulu.com/media/mother-in-law-gift/
[About Creative Work Mall Alulu]
"Alulu" values not only the appeal of products and services, but also "who you buy from." There is plenty of content that conveys the history of the shops, the thoughts of the producers, and the personalities of the craftsmen. You can discover products you like after understanding these sentiments. We will continue to strive to be a place where "people (stores) and people (customers)" gather and connect.
[Company Profile]
Company Name: System Research Co., Ltd.
Head Office: 2-12 Iwatsukahondori, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture 453-0861
President and CEO: Hiroshi Hirayama
Company Website: https://www.sr-net.co.jp/