Mother's Day 2024

Image by Tim Kraaijvanger from Pixabay

Mother's day is a day once a year when we celebrate mothers and all that they do for us.

What is a mother?
A mother is someone who loves and cares for you unconditionally in every way. Mother and child form a strong bond which is eternal.

When is Mother's Day?

The dates in the calendar for Christmas, Valentine's Day and Halloween always fall on the same day but Mothering Sunday is celebrated on different dates each year and around the world.

There is no fixed date in the calendar for Mother's Day as it is linked to Easter, which also changes annually in line with the lunar calendar.

In the UK Mother's Day always falls on the fourth Sunday in the month of Lent, as it is linked to Easter. In the rest of the world Mother's Day is normally celebrated in the months of March or May.

In 2024 Mother's Day falls this weekend on Sunday 10 March.

Although we tend to call it Mother's Day it has no connection with the American festival with that name, which is celebrated in May.

In the UK Mother's Day has become a day of appreciation where mums are given flowers and other gifts as a sign of thanks.

Image by Jeff Allen from Pixabay

A Mother's Love by Helen Steiner Rice

A Mother's love is something
that no one can explain,
It is made of deep devotion
and of sacrifice and pain,
It is endless and unselfish
and enduring come what may
For nothing can destroy it
or take that love away . . .
It is patient and forgiving
when all others are forsaking,
And it never fails or falters
even though the heart is breaking . . .
It believes beyond believing
when the world around condemns,
And it glows with all the beauty
of the rarest, brightest gems . . .
It is far beyond defining,
it defies all explanation,
And it still remains a secret
like the mysteries of creation . . .
A many splendoured miracle
man cannot understand
And another wondrous evidence
of God's tender guiding hand.

The History of Mother's Day

In the 16th century in the UK it was the custom to visit your mother church once a year and this is how Mothering Sunday seemed to have evolved, as the majority of people visited in the middle of Lent.

Most churchgoers used to worship at their nearest parish, also known as a 'daughter church', every Sunday. So Mothering Sunday was originally a celebration of the 'mother' church and not of motherhood.

Mother's Day was also a time for families to get together and children who were working, especially daughters who were often working as domestic servants, were given the day off to visit their family and especially mothers.

Historians seem to think that the children used to pick wild flowers on the way home and so now this has become the practice of children giving presents to their mothers and usually a bouquet of flowers.

Photo by Sandra Seitamaa on Unsplash

Some quotes on mothers:
Life doesn't come with a manual, it comes with a mother. - Unknown

It may be possible to gild pure gold, but who can make his mother more beautiful? - Mahatma Gandhi

A mother understands what a child does not say - Jewish proverb

A mother’s hug lasts long after she lets go - Unknown

Mothers hold their children’s hands for a short while, but their hearts forever - Unknown

Being a mother is learning about strengths you didn't know you had, and dealing with fears you didn't know existed - Linda Wooten

Motherhood: All love begins and ends there - Robert Browning

A mother is one to whom you hurry when you are troubled - Emily Dickinson

All that I am, or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother - Abraham Lincoln

There is only one pretty child in the world, and every mother has it - Chinese Proverb

Why celebrate?

It is the time to show our mothers or even grandmothers, step-mums or whoever takes the maternal role in our lives that we love them and want to spend time with them, showering them with love and gifts.

Mind you it is the thought that counts and not the cost of the gift. Most mothers just like to be appreciated and it is simply good just to spend some time together. Research has shown that men tend to spend more on their mothers for Mother's Day compared to other days in the year.

Show your mum just how much she means to you this Mother's Day as it is the perfect opportunity to thank her for all her love, hard work and support, so don't forget to treat her and thank her for being there for you.

Not forgetting Fathers - they have a special day which in the UK is celebrated on the third Sunday of June. In 2024 this will be Sunday 16 June.