The Origins of Mother’s Day

This Sunday, the 11^th of March, it is Mother’s Day in the United Kingdom. It is also celebrated in Guernsey, Ireland, Isle of Man, Jersey, and Nigeria on this date. Mother’s Day is a chance to show your mother appreciation and love, often with cards and gifts.

Mothering Sunday is celebrated across the world on various days throughout the year. In the UK, Mothering Sunday falls on the fourth Sunday of Lent and is believed to have religious origins, which date back to a 16^th century Christian practice. Laetare Sunday was a Christian practice where people would visit their mother’s church annually.

How did Mother's Day become what it is today?

The United States, who celebrates Mother’s Day on the second Sunday in May, established Mother’s Day in 1914, after Anna Jarvis campaigned for the celebration of mothers, after she lost her own mother in May. Anna later regretted forming the holiday due to believing that her original sentiment of love and family had been lost and commercialised by florists and card businesses. Many countries now also hold Mother’s Day on the second Sunday of May, such as Australia, Denmark, Netherlands, Chile, China, Germany, Kenya, and many more.

After the Industrial Revolution, Mother’s Day became less celebrated in the UK. During the Second World War, US soldiers brought their Mother’s Day celebration to the UK. The UK later merged the traditions of the American Mother’s Day with the origins of the religious Mothering Sunday that used to be celebrated in the UK, keeping the celebration date of Mother’s Day as the fourth Sunday of Lent.

How do people around the world celebrate?

Across the world, Mother’s Day means different traditions; in western countries such as the UK and the US for instance, you can expect daughters and sons to buy their mother: cards, flowers and gifts and spend the day with their loved ones.

In Thailand, Mother’s Day is celebrated in August on the birthday of Queen Sirikit. Public places and households in Thailand are decorated with lights, decorations and portraits of Queen Sirikit to celebrate her birth because she is seen as the mother to all Thai people.

Whether it’s Mother’s Day for your country or not, it’s always nice to show those that you love and care about how much they mean to you, so make sure you tell your mum that you love her today! How do you and your family celebrate Mother’s Day in your home country?