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.
We will also think about the events of the Last Supper and why it is so important. This will also help us in our preparation for our First Holy Communion.
