Sunday is the day we pay tribute to mothers, but they may not be as pampered as usual this Mother's Day. The National Retail Federation expects gift spending to be down this year.

What are local businesses seeing? A sluggish economy with higher food and gas prices. Americans just don't have as much disposable income this year and analysts are predicting they'll spend less on Mother's Day. Some local retailers are faring better than others.

Mother's Day business is the second biggest day of the year for florists, after Valentine's Day. Flowers and Mother's Day are just about synonymous. The economy may not be so rosy, but that's not stopping shoppers like Julianne Herzog from buying for the moms they love. "Some things you scale back on, some things you don't and this is one you don't."

"Moms are recession-proof, I think," says Piccolo’s Florist general manager Jill Overkamp. She says sales are actually up a little bit this year. "They've been awesome. I think everybody realizes how important mom is. So we've had a great week."

Business at Iron Decor and More at 11th and Jackson isn’t dampened in the slightest. "It's been very good for us,” says Iron Decor and More’s Mark Tevogt. “We've not noticed any downturn at all. You know mom expects the best and she gets the best."

It's a different story at Gail's Hallmark, 50th and F, where people really aren't buying gifts. Instead, they're focusing on the cards. "Probably 80 percent has been just cards only,” says owner Gail Mlnarik.

She adds sales are noticeably down from last year. "Mother's Day was kind of late going this year, probably the last couple days have been our big days and we'll have probably a few stragglers in tomorrow."

Lydia Perry's one of those last-minute shoppers. "The economy's horrible right now because of the gas prices." She's not buying any gifts this year. "I can't spend anything, except this card for my sister because she's special to me."

She says the perfect card is all any mom needs. "Especially when you care enough to send the very best," laughs Mlnarik.

Flowers are still big business, even though gas prices have caused many florists to raise their delivery charges. It's something Piccolo's at 76th and West Dodge Road did six months ago. Now they say they're just managing delivery drivers' routes better, making them as efficient as possible.