By Jennifer Wirth
Gannett News Service

For the late nights she spent rocking you to sleep and the sleepless nights she stayed awake waiting for you to come home, Mom deserves a lot of thanks.

According to the National Retail Federation, she'll get just that on Mother's Day.

In its 2003 Mother's Day Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by BIGresearch, the National Retail Federation found that 83.2 percent of Americans are planning to celebrate the day, and those who celebrate will spend an average of $97.37 each on Mom.

While Mother's Day sales will remain relatively unchanged from 2002, when consumers spent an average of $96.50, they are considerably higher than 2001, when the average consumer spent $62.20 and 2000 - the first year of the survey - when the average consumer planned to spend $49.90.

What can Mom expect?

According to the survey, the top three gifts for Mom this year will be jewelry, dinner at a restaurant and beauty-spa treatments.

Consumers who plan to buy jewelry will spend an average of $66.17, the survey said.

That's accurate, says Shelby Lacue, manager of the Gold Mine of Merritt Island, Fla.

"It's not that people spend a lot of money on jewelry, but they buy a lot of things that are sentimental," Lacue said. "Items like charms proclaiming her the 'No. 1 Mom' and pendants that say 'I love you' are very popular."

Other big sellers are mother's rings, which have colored stones representing children's birth months.

Coming in second, consumers who will take their mom out to eat plan to spend $41.16.

Consumers who plan to give their mothers gift certificates for facials or massages will spend about $35.28.

Consumers choosing other popular gift choices like clothing, gift certificates, housewares and flowers plan to spend around $30 each for those items.