The History of Mother's Day

The first Mother's Day celebrations can be traced back to the ancient Greek Festival dedicated to Rhea, the Mother of the Gods. In England, it was in the 1600s when the phrase "Mothering Sunday" was first coined.

In Christianity, Mothering Sunday is the fourth Sunday of Lent.

As Christianity spread throughout Europe the celebration evolved to honour both the
"Mother Church" and mothers.

In the past, Mothering Sunday was a day when servants were encouraged to return home to spend some
time with their mothers and families.

Typical gifts included a Mothering Cake or Furmety - a preparation of wheat, milk, sugar and spices. In Northern England and Scotland Carlings - pancakes made of steeped peas fried in butter with pepper and salt - was the mouthwatering treat for mothers.

Many countries of the world now mark Mother's Day,
but not all celebrate it at the same time.