Facts about Mothering Sunday
What are the origins of Mothering Sunday? Why do we give flowers on Mother's Day? What is the most popular Mother's Day gift? Find these facts and more Mother's Day trivia here...
- Mothering Sunday, the UK's equivalent of Mother's Day, falls on the fourth Sunday of Lent and is a special time when children pay respect to their Mothers and say thank you for all their care and love throughout the year.
- Around the world Mother's Day is celebrated on different days. Most follow the US date of the second Sunday in May, while others celebrate Mother's Day on 8th March which is International Women’s Day.
- It is believed that the origins of Mother's Day emerged from the ancient Roman spring festival celebrating Cybele, their Mother Goddess, which was held in Rome from the Ides of March (15 March) to 18 March.
- Mothering Sunday in the UK stems from the 16th-century Christian practice of visiting the nearest church - the 'mother church' - on fourth Sunday of Lent. At a time when poor children may have been working away in the grand stately homes or on learning an apprenticeship, this day was a rare chance for mothers to be reunited with their young families.
- It was tradition for young maids to bake a simnel cake to present as a gift to their Mother on this day. The rich fruit cake was said to be a test of a girl's skills as a cook. If it was still edible on Easter Sunday, she was seen as a good cook.
- Giving flowers as a gift comes from the children who would pick wild flowers along the way to church and give them to their mothers. Many churches now give the children in the congregation a little bunch of spring flowers to give to their Mothers.
- According to the Flowers & Plants Association, Mother's Day is now the biggest flower sending occasion of the year – bigger even than Valentine’s Day. Sales of cut flowers and indoor plants increase by an average of 40% on an average day's trading.
- The most popular choice of bloom is the Rose, followed by Tulips and Freesia.
- £55 million is spent on chocolates, with around 4 million people buying a box for their Mum.
- While most of the population choose to send flowers or plants to their mothers, what mum really wants on Mother's Day is a cuddle, lots of attention and a card! According to a recent survey Mum's appreciate these simple gestures much more than material gifts.
- Spare a thought for Anna Marie Jarvis this Mother's Day - the woman who founded the Mother's Day holiday as it is known today in the USA. She embarked on a campaign to make 'Mother's Day' a recognized holiday to honour her late mother and all mothers around the world but became so disillusioned by the commercialisation of the day that she spent the rest of her life - and family inheritance - campaigning against it!
- Anna Jarvis' original intention for Mother's Day was to be a day of spending quality time with her and making her feel special. For those who were away from their mothers they were urged to express their feelings of love and gratitude by writing to their Mother - or talking over phone. This soon became the tradition of sending a card!
