Mother's Day is a popular holiday celebrated around the world to show appreciation for the important women in our lives. However, in the UK, Mother's Day is celebrated on a different date than in many other countries. In this short blog post, we'll explore why here in the UK we celebrate Mother's Day on a different date and the history behind this tradition.

The origin of Mother's Day can be traced back to ancient Greek and Roman times, when festivals were held in honour of the Mother goddesses. In the UK, Mother's Day is also commonly known as "Mothering Sunday". It has historical and religious significance, as it was originally a Christian holiday celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent to honour the Virgin Mary. Over time, it evolved into a day when those that may live a considerable distance from their original home & family would return to their home churches and visit their Mothers. A “Home Church” would be deemed so if you were christened or considered that your local church in your youth. As was the gravitas of the occasion, servants were also allowed to take a day off to visit their families, making it a popular holiday among not just the upper classes, but the working classes too.

While the United States made Mother's Day a national holiday in the early 1900’s, the UK continued to celebrate Mothering Sunday on the fourth Sunday of Lent. This has given the UK its’ unique tradition for honouring their Mothers. Due to its’ ties to the working classes & deep-rooted religious reasons, this is seen to have a much more meaningful reason to celebrate Motherhood in the UK in comparison to its’ American counterpart.

To conclude, the UK celebrates Mother's Day on a different date due to its’ historical and religious significance and the desire to celebrate Mothers throughout the UK in a unique way. Make sure to always be on the look out for when Mothering Sunday will be set every year. While the date may constantly change, the sentiment behind the holiday remains the same - to show love and appreciation for the important women in our lives.

Need to know more on Mothering Sunday & all the important dates? Check our Mother's Day Key Dates blog