Los Angeles: Love for Mom is necessary, but buying flowers on her big day may not be. A slump in flower sales since late last year was likely to continue through Mother's Day, another example of Americans cutting back on spending due to recession fears, which is a period of reduced trade and business activity, and increasing food and gasoline prices. "If you look at what has happened on Valentine's Day and Christmas, the market for flowers has cooled," said Eric Beder, an analyst at Brean Murray. "Growth has slowed in the past two quarters. Mother's Day will probably be a slow quarter, too." US floral sales for Mother's Day, celebrated yesterday, will fall thirteen percent this year to $2 billion, with consumers spending an average of $17.65, according to the National Federation estimates. Mother's Day, which accounts for a one-quarter of annual holiday purchases, according to the Society of American Florists, is traditionally the day when flowers are delivered to the doorsteps of many mothers. But this year, the shop-owners are concerned. Gabriel Soto, who owns a flower shop beneath an office high-rise in the Los financial district, is expecting lower sales -- and has ordered 30 percent fewer flowers than normal this Mother's Day. Last month, Soto, who also operates website downtown-flowers.net, closed another store in a nearby building that was headquarters to a mortgage company. After workers lost their jobs due to the housing crisis, orders decreased. According to the author, Mother's Day should be an occasion of  _   .
a large family get-together a big annual holiday purchase a great love showed to mothers a celebration among Americans