From the UK to the UAE, from India to Russia, many countries around the world recognise and celebrate Mother's Day.
Although not an official holiday, some countries celebrate it on the same day every year, but in other places, the date changes on an annual basis.
March 8 is International Women's Day, which many countries have aligned to celebrate Mother's Day too.
But it's not the first on the global calendar, as Norway celebrated on the second Sunday of February, which in 2026, fell on February 8.
Next up are the UK and Ireland, which mark the occasion on the fourth Sunday of Lent, which falls this weekend on March 15
Right on its heels is UAE's, which is March 21, the same date each year.
Mother's Day and the spring equinox
The reason that Mother's Day is celebrated at different times of the year dates back to the origins of the day in each country.
The first traces of Mother's Day can be found in Greek mythology when goddess Rhea, the mother of Zeus, was honoured in spring.
In the Middle East, most countries celebrate the day on March 21 – which is the spring equinox. It is said to have been adopted in the Arab world in the 1950s, inspired by Egyptian journalist Mustafa Amin, who wanted a day dedicated to honouring mothers.
This includes the UAE, as well as Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Yemen.
Christian origins of Mothering Sunday
The tradition of “Mothering Sunday”, as we know it today, can be traced to an early Christian festival of the same name. Celebrated on the fourth Sunday during Lent, it was initially intended as a date to encourage people to return to their local or “mother” church for a special annual service.
Over the centuries, the meaning evolved to incorporate the celebration of family, specifically mothers, and although the religious aspect was largely lost, by the 17th century, it had become customary to give mothers gifts on this day. This tradition of celebrating mums on the fourth Sunday during Lent has remained in the UK and Ireland.
In Armenia, meanwhile, Mother's Day is celebrated on April 7, a day that aligns with Armenian Apostolic Church's marking of the Feast of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, a date that has historically honoured motherhood and beauty in Armenia.
Modern movements to celebrate mums
In the US, the occasion is a modern holiday that began in 1914. Anna Jarvis helped to establish it, to acknowledge the sacrifice mothers make for their children; her own mother, Ann Jarvis had tried to establish something similar in the decades before with messages of peace at its core.
Many countries around the world follow the US by celebrating the occasion on the second Sunday of May, which falls this year on May 10. This includes India, New Zealand, Australia and Sri Lanka.
In the Philippines, Mother's Day was traditionally celebrated on the first Monday in December. But for the past few decades, Filipinos typically celebrate the occasion on the second Sunday in May, following the US custom.
Crossing with International Women's Day and other meaningful dates
A handful of countries have aligned the day with International Women's Day. These include: Albania, Balkans, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro and North Macedonia.
French Mother's Day is celebrated in May, but on the last Sunday of the month rather than the second. This year, France will celebrate it on May 31.
Many others celebrate with their own unique days. In Thailand, Mother's Day is marked on August 12, the birthday of Queen Mother Sirikit, the mother of King Vajiralongkorn, the current king, who is also known as Rama X.
In Argentina, mums are celebrated on the third Sunday of October, which was the old date for the celebration of the Virgin Mary. That feast was moved to January by the Second Vatican Council, but Mother's Day in October remains the norm across the country.
Russia only began celebrating Mother's Day in the 1940s and marks the day on the last Sunday in November.
In Indonesia, Mother's Day celebrations take place on December 22 and all women are celebrated, not just mums.
A version of this story was first published in March 2024
