Mother’s Day has roots in ancient celebrations of motherhood, with the Greeks and Romans honoring mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele through festivals. However, the modern precursor to Mother’s Day is the Christian festival called “Mothering Sunday.” This celebration was once a significant tradition in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe, falling on the fourth Sunday in Lent. Originally, it was a time for the faithful to return to their “mother church,” the primary church in their area, for a special service.

As time passed, Mothering Sunday became more secular, and children began to give their mothers flowers and other tokens of appreciation. Eventually, this custom lost popularity before merging with the American Mother’s Day in the 1930s and 1940s.