The origins of celebrating motherhood can be seen to go back to ancient times. The Greek goddess Rhea was paid the tribute of being the 'mother of all gods'. The Romans worshipped their mother goddess Cybele with a celebration in the springtime. The Celts linked the celebration of their goddess with the spring first milk of the mother ewes to the newborn lambs.
These however, whilst being celebrations of motherhood are not the Mothers Day that we know. Mothers Sunday, or using its proper name Mothering Sunday, dates back to the 1600's, back then children as young as eleven or twelve would go off to work on estates for wealthy landowners. As they were staying away from their homes and families it was important that were allowed home at some point in the year. Every spring they would be allowed to return home in the period of lent.
Mothering Sunday falls on the fourth Sunday in Lent - which is 3 weeks before Easter. Obviously the date changes every year. The practice of giving flowers on Mothers day began because the working people returning home would be allowed to pick flowers from their masters land to take home to their mothers.
As the years have passed it has become the day that we know today. A day when we send cards, flowers and gifts to the person that brought us into the world, the person who raised us and the person that we love.
Our Mum.