Mother's Day

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The origins of Mother’s Day are obscure, with some claiming it goes back to Ancient Greece and Mother worship in the festival of Cybele and Rhea. However, it appears that the event actually originated in the US as a means of developing a women's anti-war movement during the American Civil War. Mother’s Day was conceived by Julia Ward Howe, a social activist, as a call to unite women against the fighting. Although it was unsuccessful at the time, it was taken up by the card industry later.

Dates vary, with heavy emphasis on Mothering Sunday (as per UK), or the second Sunday in May (as per US). National calendars and diaries usually include the date of the local Mother’s Day. See calendar below.

In 1914 President Woodrow Wilson announced the first Official Mothers' Day in the US, after which commercialisation became rampant, leading to the day being called a "Hallmark Day" (referring to the largest greetings cards manufacturer).

The American concept of Mother’s Day was adopted in the UK and attached to the day which was referred to as Mothering Sunday – the fourth Sunday in Lent, originally the day in the year when servants were permitted to visit their mother church (which might be many miles froom their place of employment). Many people in the UK now refer to the day just as Mother’s Day.

In Britain and its former colonies, the day is used as an occasion to thank mothers for their devotion and love. In many Eastern and Oriental countries the day is heavily commercialised by card and gift manufacturers. Elsewhere there are religious and traditional cultural overtones. However, the concept of celebrating mothers is almost universal, but the traditions and practices vary greatly and the dates are diverse.

In Thailand, the Birthday of Queen Sirikit is celebrated as Mother's Day.

Many parts of the Islamic world prohibit Mother's Day on the grounds that "every day is Mother's Day in Islam", but the Birthday of Fatimah, daughter of the Prophet (PBUH), may be celebrated in a similar way.

Children usually make or buy cards and gifts for their mothers on this day, and adult children will usually send a card or letter. In 1973 the volume of mail in the US was so large that there was an eight day delay in sorting and delivering mail!

International Mother's Day calendar

With Mother’s Day being a "variable feast" as far as international recognition and celebration is concerned, the following is a guideline to its observance:

2nd Sunday in February

Norway

4th Sunday in Lent

UK » Ireland

1st Sunday in May

Hungary » Lithuania » Portugal » Spain

2nd Sunday in May

Anguilla » Aruba » Australia » Austria » Bahamas » Barbados » Bangladesh » Belgium » Belize » Bermuda » Bonaire » Brazil » Canada » Chile » China » Colombia » Cuba » Croatia » Curacao » Czech Republic » Denmark » Ecuador » Estonia » Finland » Germany » Greece » Grenada » Honduras » Hong Kong » Iceland » Italy » Jamaica » Japan » Latvia » Malta » Malaysia » Netherlands » New Zealand » Peru » Philippines » Puerto Rico » Singapore » Slovakia » South Africa » Suriname » Switzerland » Taiwan » Trinidad and Tobago » Turkey » US » Uruguay » Venezuela » Zimbabwe

Last Sunday in May

Dominican Republic » Haiti » Sweden;
France (unless that is Pentecost, when it moves to the First Sunday in June)

2nd Sunday in October

Argentina

Last Sunday in November

Russia

3rd March

Georgia

8th March

Albania » Belarus » Bosnia and Hertzegovina » Bulgaria » Montenegro » Romania » Russia » Serbia » Slovenia » Vietnam

21st March

Bahrain » Egypt » Jordan » Kuwait » Lebanon » Palestine Territories » Syria » UAE » Yemen

7th April

Armenia

8th May

Albania » Korea

10th May

Bahrain » El Salvador » Guatamala » India » Mexico » Oman » Pakistan » Qatar » Saudi Arabia » Singapore

26th May

Poland

27th May

Bolivia

30th May

Nicaragua

12th August

Thailand

15th August

Antwerp (Belgium) » Costa Rica

8th December

Panama

22nd December

Indonesia

30th Shevat (Hebrew calendar)

Israel

20th Jumada al-thani (Islamic calendar)

Islam