When is Mother's Day 2019 in the UK?

24 January 2019, 11:25

Mother's Day 2019 is just around the corner, so it's time to update your diaries.

Mother's Day in the UK is being held on Sunday, March 31 in 2019.

In the United States and other places around the world, Mother's Day 2019 is being celebrated on Sunday, May 12.

What is Mother's Day?

Also known as Mothering Sunday, it is a celebration held to pay respects to mums and other maternal figures.

The day has evolved over the years into a date for children to give presents to their mums.

In the UK, it was originally connected with religion, but has since lost many of its links to the church, and is now mainly a family day.

Why does the UK have a different Mother's Day date to the US?

In the UK, the event had nothing to do with mothers at all, and was actually a day for Christians to visit their "mother" church.

Back then, domestic servants were given the day off to return to their hometown, and worship with their families. On their way home, they would pick wild flowers to place in their church, or to give to their mums.

10 amazing Mother's Day gifts that aren't just flowers

In the US, the day was launched separately, and was not linked to religion. Mother's Day was established in 1914, after campaigns by various mums groups which were created during the Civil War.

Anna Jarvis, the leader of this movement, wanted a May date in memory of her own mum - who had died that month. President Wilson later confirmed the date, but Anna later became displeased with the commercialisation around Mother's Day.

She said: "A printed card means nothing except that you are too lazy to write to the woman who has done more for you than anyone in the world."

Why does the date of Mother's Day change each year?

Mothering Sunday in the US is an annual holiday, and is always held on the second Sunday in May.

In the UK, the date is linked with Easter, which is also different each year as it is determined by the lunar calendar.

The UK's Mother's Day always falls on the fourth Sunday during the period of Lent, when people usually give up things like particular foods or bad habits leading up to Easter.