Mother's Day 2025, 2026 and 2027 - Dates and origins

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Mother’s Day dates

Mother’s Day, also known as ‘Mothering Sunday’, is scheduled for the following dates:

• Sunday, 30th March 2025
• Sunday, 15th March 2026
• Sunday, 7th March 2027

In the United Kingdom, it always falls on the fourth Sunday in Lent, which is three weeks before Easter Sunday. Because it is tied to the date of Easter, it changes every year and can fall anytime between early March and early April.

Mothering Sunday’s origins

Mother’s Day, or Mothering Sunday, is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent¹ and has a long and evolving history in the United Kingdom.

Unlike the contemporary Mother’s Day traditions, Mother’s Day has roots firmly planted in British religious and social customs dating back to the 16th century, and possibly even medieval times, where it was also known as Mid-Lent Sunday or Refreshment Sunday, the latter referring to its sense of respite halfway through this season of fasting and penitence².

The earliest origin of Mothering Sunday lies in the Christian practice of visiting one’s ‘mother church³.’ During the Middle Ages, people were encouraged to return to the main church in their region - the church where they had been baptised or the nearest cathedral, regarded as the ‘mother’ of all local churches.

By the 17th century, Mothering Sunday had developed a domestic dimension, offering a rare opportunity for families to reunite, particularly for those working in domestic service or apprenticeships far from home⁴. The day became known as ‘Laetare Sunday’⁵. Small gifts, typically flowers gathered along the roadside, or a traditional fruit cake known as simnel cake⁶ were offered to mothers as tokens of affection.

Due to changing labour patterns and urban migration, the tradition declined somewhat during the Industrial Revolution⁷ as it became difficult for people to return home for a single day. However, it experienced a revival in the early 20th century. This was, in part, thanks to the efforts of church leaders and figures like Constance Penswick Smith⁸ who, inspired by the American social activist, Anna Jarvis⁹, championed the spiritual and familial significance of the day by creating the ‘Mothering Sunday Movement.’

Penswick Smith succeeded in reinvigorating the UK celebration by publishing plays and booklets¹⁰, including In Praise of Mother: A Story of Mothering Sunday (1913), and A Short History of Mothering Sunday (1915). However, her most influential piece of work was a booklet entitled The Revival of Mothering Sunday (1921). As a High-Church Anglican, she considered Mother’s Day as a time to honour¹¹:

• Mother Church
• ‘Mothers of earthly homes’
• Mary, mother of Jesus
• Mother Nature

She also established ‘The Society for the Observation of Mothering Sunday¹².’ By the 1950s, her legacy had encouraged the celebration of the day across the UK and Commonwealth Nations¹³.

By the mid-20th century, Mothering Sunday blended with the more commercial American concept of Mother’s Day, creating the modern celebration that honours motherhood with cards, flowers, and family gatherings. However, it still retains echoes of its ancient religious heritage.

Mother’s Day celebrations

Mothering Sunday always falls on the fourth Sunday in Lent, three weeks before Easter Sunday.

In the last century, it has become a secular celebration of motherhood and is a blend of old and new: while rooted in historical religious tradition, it is now more commonly expressed through modern family rituals, heartfelt gifts, and shared meals.

Popular ways to mark the day include:

• Attending a church service¹⁴: Church services to celebrate Mother’s Day still continue today. Many congregations host special services featuring readings, prayers, and blessings dedicated to the blessing of mothers and other maternal figures, as well as the presentation of flowers.
• Giving flowers: Daffodils, tulips, or even handpicked wildflowers remain beloved gifts, reflecting the day’s historic roots. Flowers have long symbolized love, respect, and gratitude - a value which represents the very essence of Mother’s Day¹⁵. Traditionally, violets were distributed in church for children to give to their mothers.
• Baking a Simnel cake¹⁶: This classic fruit cake is topped with eleven marzipan balls to represent the eleven apostles of Christ, minus Judas. It is traditionally linked with both Mothering Sunday and Easter. It is named after the medieval word for fine flour¹⁷.
• Mothering Buns¹⁸: These were a speciality in the city of Bristol and are still made today. These sweet and sticky yeasted buns are made the day before Mothering Sunday and were traditionally decorated with caraway seeds of aniseed. Nowadays, they are topped with hundreds and thousands.
• Spending time together: Sharing a family meal, enjoying afternoon tea, or taking a relaxed walk can be meaningful ways to connect.
• Writing a heartfelt message: Whether in a card, a letter, or an online post, expressing genuine gratitude can leave a lasting impression. Mother’s Day cards really took off in the UK when American wartime GIs¹⁹ often saw their landladies as substitute mums. They would often send cards to show their appreciation. Mother’s Day cards are big business in the UK.
• Honouring all mother figures: The celebration can also extend to grandmothers, stepmothers, carers, and anyone who provides maternal support. Schools and community groups often join in too, creating themed activities, handmade crafts, and songs that celebrate the love and care mothers give.