When is Mother’s Day? In the United States it is celebrated on the second Sunday in May, and the next one falls on Sunday, May 9, 2027. The countdown above keeps track of every day, hour and minute, so the flowers, the card and the brunch reservation are all sorted long before the morning arrives.
Why the second Sunday in May?
The modern holiday is the work of Anna Jarvis of West Virginia. After her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, died in 1905, she set out to create a day honoring the sacrifices mothers make. The first official services took place in May 1908 at a church in Grafton, West Virginia, and at an event in Philadelphia. Jarvis then wrote to politicians, churches and newspapers across the country. In 1914, Congress passed a resolution and President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day.
Ironically, Jarvis spent her later years fighting the commercialization of the holiday she created. She wanted people to honor their mothers with a visit or a heartfelt letter rather than a printed card. White carnations, her own mother’s favorite flower, became an early symbol of the day.
US Mother’s Day vs UK Mothering Sunday
If you have family in Britain, do not mix up the dates. The UK and Ireland celebrate Mothering Sunday on the fourth Sunday of Lent, exactly three weeks before Easter Sunday, so it usually falls in March. It grew out of an older church tradition of returning to your “mother church” in the middle of Lent. Many other countries, including Canada, Australia, Germany and Japan, share the US date, while others, such as Mexico on May 10, use a fixed day.
Thoughtful ideas for Mom
- Make her breakfast in bed or book a brunch table a few weeks ahead.
- Write a handwritten letter about a memory you share; it is exactly what the holiday’s founder had in mind.
- Plan an experience: a garden visit, a cooking class or a movie she has been wanting to see.
- Put together a photo book or a framed family picture.
- Give her time off: take over the chores, errands and dinner for the day.
Plan ahead and avoid the rush
- Three to four weeks before: reserve brunch or dinner, since restaurants fill up fast for Mother’s Day.
- Two weeks before: order personalized gifts and anything that needs shipping.
- One week before: schedule flower delivery; demand peaks in the final days.
- A few days before: mail a card if Mom lives far away.
Is Mother’s Day a holiday?
Mother’s Day is not a federal holiday, and because it always falls on a Sunday, most offices are closed anyway while stores and restaurants stay open. Want a nudge so you do not forget? Add the date to your calendar from this page, or share the countdown with your siblings to coordinate a joint gift. Next on the calendar: Father’s Day, the third Sunday in June.