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Mother's day is an opportunity to celebrate our mothers for all the wonderful things that they do (and have done). Whether you're thousands of miles from home or being teacher's pet and spending the big day with her, make sure your mother knows how much you think of her; send her one of our arrangements and she'll know just how special you think she is. Need to send flowers abroad? Click here for our international range. |
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A Dozen Pink Roses
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Fondest Affections
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Bright & Cheery
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White Orchid
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Freesias Cube
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White Gift Wrap
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Angel Handtied Bouquet
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Brave Heart Hand-Tied Bouquet
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Pink Orchid
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Dreamy Lady
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White Lily Bouquet
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Pink Lily Bouquet
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Pink Lilies and Roses
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Gloriana
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A Dozen Orange Roses
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A Dozen Yellow Roses
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Pink Carnations
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The Perfect Gem
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Edward Teddy Bear
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Mother's Day Flowers on Mothering Sunday
Mothering Sunday is the fourth Sunday of Lent in the UK, though it falls on different days across the world. Although it's often called "Mother's Day" it has no connection with the American festival of that name. Traditionally, it was a day when children, mainly daughters, who had gone to work as domestic servants were given a day off to visit their mother and family.
History of Mothering Sunday
Most Sundays in the year churchgoers in worship at their nearest parish or daughter church. Centuries ago it was considered important for people to return to their home or mother; church once a year. So each year in the middle of Lent, everyone would visit their mother, church, or the main church or Cathedral of the area.
Inevitably the return to the "Mother" church became an occasion for family reunions when children who were working away returned home. (It was quite common in those days for children to leave home for work once they were ten years old.) And most historians think that it was the return to the "Mother" church which led to the tradition of children, particularly those working as domestic servants, or as apprentices, being given the day off to visit their mother and family. As they walked along the country lanes, children would pick wild flowers or violets to take to church or give to their mother as a small gift.
International Mother's Day
The earliest Mother's Day celebrations can be traced back to the spring celebrations of ancient Greece in honor of Rhea, the Mother of the Gods. During the 1600's, England celebrated a day called "Mothering Sunday". Celebrated on the 4th Sunday of Lent (the 40 day period leading up to Easter).
Mothering Sunday honored the mothers of England. During this time many of the England's poor worked as servants for the wealthy. As most jobs were located far from their homes, the servants would live at the houses of their employers. On Mothering Sunday the servants would have the day off and were encouraged to return home and spend the day with their mothers. A special cake, called the mothering cake, was often brought along to provide a festive touch.
As Christianity spread throughout Europe the celebration changed to honor the Mother Church - the spiritual power that gave them life and protected them from harm. Over time the church festival blended with the Mothering Sunday celebration . People began honoring their mothers as well as the church.
In the United States Mother's Day was first suggested in 1872 by Julia Ward Howe (who wrote the words to the Battle hymn of the Republic) as a day dedicated to peace. Ms. Howe would hold organized Mother's Day meetings in Boston, Mass ever year.
In 1907 Ana Jarvis, from Philadelphia, began a campaign to establish a national Mother's Day. Ms. Jarvis persuaded her mother's church in Grafton, West Virginia to celebrate Mother's Day on the second anniversary of her mother's death, the 2nd Sunday of May. By the next year Mother's Day was also celebrated in Philadelphia.
Ms. Jarvis and her supporters began to write to ministers, businessman, and politicians in their quest to establish a national Mother's Day. It was successful as by 1911 Mother's Day was celebrated in almost every state. President Woodrow Wilson, in 1914, made the official announcement proclaiming Mother's Day as a national holiday that was to be held each year on the 2nd Sunday of May. The table below shows the dates for Mother's Day in the UK and the US.
| Year | Mothering Sunday in the UK | Mother's Day in the US |
| 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 |
22nd March 14th March 3dr April 18th March 10th March 30th March 15th March 6th March |
10th May 9th May 8th May 13th May 12th May 11th May 10th May 8th May |
While many countries of the world celebrate their own Mother's Day at different times throughout the year, there are some countries such as Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, and Belgium which also celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday of May.
Also read our post to learn the answer to the question "when is Mother's Day?".
