Mother's Day Countdown
Counting down to Mother's Day
Mother's Day by the numbers
Mother's Day fun facts
UK Mothering Sunday
In the UK, Mother's Day is properly called Mothering Sunday — the fourth Sunday of Lent. It dates back to medieval times when people returned to their "mother church" for a special service, and eventually became a day to honour mothers with flowers and simnel cake.
US Mother's Day tradition
American Mother's Day falls on the second Sunday in May every year, a tradition established by Anna Jarvis in 1908 and made a national holiday in 1914. Today it is celebrated on the same date across most of the Americas, Australia, and much of Europe.
Flowers on Mother's Day
Carnations are the traditional Mother's Day flower — white for mothers who have passed away, coloured for living mothers. Anna Jarvis chose white carnations at the first official Mother's Day service in 1908. Today, florists sell more bouquets on Mother's Day than almost any other day of the year.
Celebrated worldwide
Over 50 countries mark a Mother's Day or equivalent celebration, though dates vary enormously. Thailand honours mothers in August on the Queen Mother's birthday, while many Arab nations celebrate on 21 March — the first day of spring. The UK and US remain among the most widely recognised dates.
How it works
Mother's Day falls on different dates in different countries because the traditions grew independently. In the UK, Mothering Sunday is tied to the Christian calendar — it is the fourth Sunday of Lent, exactly three weeks before Easter Sunday. Because Easter moves every year, UK Mother's Day shifts between early March and mid-April. In the US, Mother's Day is always the second Sunday in May, a fixed pattern established by Anna Jarvis between 1908 and 1914 and adopted by Congress as a national holiday in 1914.
The modern US holiday was founded by Anna Jarvis of West Virginia, who campaigned for a day to honour the sacrifices mothers make for their children. The UK's Mothering Sunday has far older roots — a 16th-century tradition of visiting one's "mother church" during Lent that gradually became a secular occasion for honouring mothers with gifts, flowers, and family meals.
This countdown calculates the UK date dynamically each year using the same Gregorian Easter algorithm used on our Easter countdown page. Mothering Sunday is set as the Sunday three weeks before Easter Sunday. Once that date has passed, the timer automatically rolls forward to the following year. Switch between UK and US at the top of the page to see the correct countdown for your region.
Frequently asked questions
When is Mother's Day in the UK?
In the UK, Mother's Day — properly called Mothering Sunday — falls on the fourth Sunday of Lent, three weeks before Easter Sunday. Because Easter moves each year, the date shifts between early March and mid-April. Use the UK toggle at the top of this page to see the exact date and live countdown for the next Mothering Sunday.
When is Mother's Day in the US?
In the United States, Mother's Day is always the second Sunday in May. For 2027 that is Sunday 9 May. The date is fixed relative to the calendar month rather than a moveable feast, so it always falls between 8 May and 14 May depending on how the Sundays line up.
Why is Mother's Day on a different date in the UK and US?
The two countries developed separate traditions. UK Mothering Sunday grew from a medieval church custom linked to Lent and Easter, while the US holiday was deliberately created in the early 20th century on a fixed Sunday in May. They share a name and similar customs — flowers, cards, family meals — but their calendar rules have never been aligned.
Is Mother's Day always on a Sunday?
Yes — in both the UK and US, Mother's Day always falls on a Sunday. The UK date is a Sunday by definition (Mothering Sunday), and the US date is specified as the second Sunday in May. Most other countries that follow the US pattern also celebrate on a Sunday, though a handful of nations use a fixed calendar date instead.
How is the UK Mother's Day date calculated each year?
Clockr first calculates Easter Sunday using the anonymous Gregorian algorithm, then subtracts 21 days (three weeks) to find Mothering Sunday. Because Easter can fall anywhere from 22 March to 25 April, UK Mother's Day can land anywhere from late February to early April — though it most commonly falls in March.
What is the history of Mother's Day?
The UK's Mothering Sunday dates to the 16th century, when servants were given the day off to visit their "mother church" and see their families. The modern US holiday began in 1908 when Anna Jarvis held a memorial service for her mother in West Virginia. Her campaign gained national momentum, and President Woodrow Wilson officially recognised Mother's Day in 1914 — the second Sunday in May, ever since.