Christian retailers are looking for inventive ways to drive sales for Mother's Day, the second biggest selling season of the year.

As they began preparing for the May 10 special day, retailers across the country who spoke about their plans agreed that Mother's Day was a great time for selling both frontlist and backlist books, cards and gifts--including gift books, music boxes, trinket boxes, plaques, vases, hand lotion and jewelry.

Matt Nicholson, owner of Lakewood Christian Gift Center in Lakewood, Wash. Nicholson told Christian Retailing for a "Retail Focus" report on the season that he planned to create his own shrink-wrapped gift baskets this year.

Meanwhile, Bryan Sapp, manager at Family Books & Gifts in North Highlands, Calif., was preparing to host a mother/daughter tea, selling tickets at $3 a piece. Shelley Allen, owner of The Servant's Bookstore and Coffee Bar in Kaufman, Texas, said she expected to bring in speakers for a Mother's Day event.

To drive gift sales during the season, retailers might consider putting together a large display with all sorts of gifts and books for Mother's Day, suggested Steve Mohler, vice president of marketing for Dicksons Gifts. Displays should also "offer a variety of price points as well," advised Sherry Morris, marketing manager for Carpentree. "Create something that gives consumers options."

Read more--including details of new product releases for Mother's Day 2009--in the Retail Focus special report in the March 9 issue of Christian Retailing.

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