What happens on Mothering Sunday in the UK?
Mothering Sunday is a time when children pay respect to
their Mothers. Children often give their Mothers a gift and a card.
When is Mothering Sunday (Mother's Day)?
Mothering Sunday (Mother's Day) is always the fourth Sunday
of Lent.
Why is Mothering Sunday on different dates each year?
Mothering Sunday is not a fixed day because it is always the
middle Sunday in Lent (which lasts from Ash Wednesday to the day before Easter
Sunday). This means that Mother's Day in the UK will fall on different dates
each year and sometimes even fall in different months.
The History behind Mothering Sunday
Mothering Sunday wa was a day in Lent when the fasting rules
were relaxed, in honour of the 'Feeding of the Five Thousand', a story in the
Christian Bible.
Girls in Service
Young British girls and boys 'in service' (maids and
servants) at the local Manor House, were only allowed one day to visit their
family each year. This was usually on Mothering Sunday.
For some this could be a long journey since their mother may
have lived some distance away. Often the housekeeper or cook would allow the
maids to bake a cake to take home for their mother. Sometimes a gift of eggs;
or flowers from the garden (or hothouse) was allowed.
Did you know?
Mothering Sunday is also sometimes know as Simnel Sunday
because of the tradition of baking Simnel cakes. The Simnel cake is a fruit
cake. A flat layer of marzipan (sugar almond paste) is placed on top of and decorated
with 11 marzipan balls representing the 12 apostles minus Judas, who betrayed
Christ. It was saved and Eaten on Easter Sunday.
