Mothering Sunday

http://www.btinternet.com/~cybercard/Mother.htm

it's mother's day this coming sunday. i know, i know, it's a bit confusing. UK doesnt celebrate it together with the rest of the world. lucky for us who live here (and are aware of the OTHER mother's day celebrations) - we get to demand 2 gifts from our dear hubbies (oh, that's just me =D)!

projectbritain.com explains:

What is Mothering Sunday: Mothering sunday is the equivalent of Mother's Day in other countries

What happens on Mothering Sunday in the UK: Mothering Sunday is the time when children pay respect to their mothers. Children often give their Mothers a gift and a card (and lots of flower-giving!)

Mothering Sunday Church Service: Many churches give the children in their congregation a little bunch of spring flowers to give to their Mothers as a thank you for their care and love throughout the year

When is Mothering Sunday (Mother's Day)?: Mothering Sunday (Mother's Day) is always the fourth sunday of Lent
--> Mothering Sunday in UK in 2011 is 3 April
--> Mother's Day in US in 2011 is 8 May

Why is Mothering Sunday on different dates each year?: Mothering Sunday is not a fixed day because it's always the middle sunday in Lent. This means that Mother's Day in the UK will fall on different dates each year and sometimes even fall on different months.

Mothering Sunday has been celebrated in the UK on the 4th sunday in Lent since at least the 16th century.

The history behind Mothering Sunday: Mothering Sunday was also known as "Refreshment  Sunday", "Pudding Pie Sunday" (in Surrey, England) or "Mid-Lent Sunday". It 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.

--> Roman Spring Festival: The more usual name was Mothering Sunday. No one is absolutely certain exactly how the name Mothering Sunday began. However, one theory is that the celebration could have been adopted from a roman spring festival celebrating Cybele, their Mother Goddess.

--> Mother Church: As Christianity spread, this date was adopted by Christians. The epistle in the Common Book of Prayer for this sunday refers to the heavenly Jerusalem as "the Mother of us all" and this may have prompted the customs we still see today.
It is known on this date, about 400 years ago, people made a point of visiting their nearest biggest church (the Mother Church). The church in which each person was baptised.

--> Girls in Service: Young British girls and boys "in service" (maids and servants) at the local manor house or in a mansion, were only allowed one day to visit their family each year. This was usually on Mothering Sunday.

For some, this could be a significant journey since their mother may have lived some distance away, indeed another town altogether from the manor where they were put in to service. Often the housekeeper or cook would allow the maids to bake a cake to take home for their mothers. Sometimes, a gift of eggs or flowers from the garden (or hothouse) was allowed.

i wonder what i'll get from tantan on sunday... ok, ok, i know already! it'll actually cover the other Mother's Day, my birthday and possibly our wedding anniversary and christmas too! cheapskate!!!

http://www.btinternet.com/~cybercard/Mother.htm

Happy Mothering Sunday (in advance!) to all mummies who devote their all in bringing up their kids!