The history of Mother's Day and why the date changes…

The history of Mother's Day and why the date changes every year

We celebrate Mother's Day each year to show how much we love and appreciate our mums - but do you know the history behind this special day?

And why does the date change each year? This year, it will be on Sunday, March 19. And in 2024 it will fall on Sunday, March 10.

Here, as families prepare to treat their mums, we have explained how Mothering Sunday became an annual tradition and why the date changes. As you'll find out, it all goes back hundreds of years.

The history of Mother’s Day

According to some historians, it can all be traced back to the ancient Greeks and Romans, who dedicated festivals to maternal goddesses Rhea and Cybele.

However, the more recent origins of Mothering Sunday date back to the 16th century in England. It was a day when people would return to their mother church - the church they were either baptised in or attended services at when they were children. This would bring together members of the community who might not have seen each other for a while. Hence, most mums would be with their children on this day.

A prayer service was also held in church for the Virgin Mary and children would bring gifts and flowers to pay tribute to their parent. This day had almost died out completely by the 19th century.

Then, the idea of an official celebration for all mothers came in 1872 from writer and activist Julia Ward Howe in America. She suggested that June 2 should be annually celebrated as Mother’s Day and should be a day dedicated to peace.

Julia initiated a Mothers’ Peace Day service on the second Sunday in June which was an annual event for a few years. The writer worked hard to have Mother’s Day declared as an official holiday but it was later replaced by the holiday now celebrated in May in America.

It was later that a woman named Anna Jarvis became recognised as the inventor of Mother’s Day in the US after she held a memorial for her own mother in West Virginia in the early 1900s. Her mother, also called Anna Jarvis, had previously expressed how much she wanted to have a mother’s day and Anna wanted to fulfil her wish so she held a ceremony and sent carnations - her mother’s favourite flower - to the church service.

After this, she and her supporters sent letters to those in positions of power asking for an official holiday to be declared to honour mothers and eventually, in 1911, Mother’s Day was celebrated in almost every state and on May 8, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a joint resolution document that confirmed every second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day.

Why does the date change every year?

This is because Mother's Day in the UK is linked to Easter, which changes annually due to the lunar calendar. It all depends on the date that Easter falls on each year.

Mother's Day is held on the fourth Sunday in Lent, which means that it usually falls in mid to late March - and it is exactly three weeks before Easter Sunday.

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