Now, If She’d Asked for Power Tools . . .

A boy’s best friend is indeed his mother, especially when it comes to gifts on her special day.

Men outspend women by about 23% when buying Mother’s Day gifts, a survey shows, spending an average of $53 to women’s $43.

According to the survey for the International Council of Shopping Centers, moms want jewelry and fragrances as gifts for Mother’s Day, but it’s not likely they’ll receive them.

The survey showed that 14% of women who expect to receive a Mother’s Day gift would like to get jewelry, but only 8% of those buying gifts planned to purchase it for them.

Similarly, 8% said they would like to receive perfume or makeup, but only 4% of gift givers said they planned to buy those items.

Flowers are the most commonly desired and given Mother’s Day gift, according to the poll. Thirty-six percent of those expecting gifts said they would like to get flowers or a plant, and 31% of those buying gifts said they planned to do so.