Mum's the word: Six interesting facts about Mother's Day

But what are the origins of today, and how is it celebrated? Rozlyn Little takes a look behind the chocolates and flowers to find a few interesting facts.

1. The date changes every year: The origins of Mother’s Day began hundreds of years ago. The festivity originally had religious connections, and it was traditional for people to worship at their “mother” church – the largest church in the area – during Lent. This allowed families to attend the event together, and children who were often separated from their families during work periods, would return with gifts for their mothers.

Eventually, this became a less common practice with a decline in church attendance, but it enjoyed a resurgence through American influence during World War II. Since then, the event has lost most of its religious connections, but continues to be held on the fourth Sunday of Lent. It has also adopted the mass commercialisation which is favoured by America. The most popular forms of gifts are greeting cards, flowers and chocolates, with “experience gifts” – such as spa days and afternoon teas – also becoming a favoured option.

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2. The British spend twice as much on Mother’s Day as they do on Father’s Day: This year, UK spending for Mother’s Day increased 0.8% on 2018 to £1.6bn – proving it is one of the most important commercial events of the year. It has been suggested that the reason for the extra spending is many people believe their mum has made a larger sacrifice and deserves more. It’s also thought that shoppers find it more difficult to buy gifts for their dad, who may not be as interested in chocolates and flowers. A pair of socks and a Lynx set usually does seem to be enough…

3. Many people will be running out to get their mum’s a last-minute gift this morning: In the lead up to the event, masses of online articles are dedicated to the perfect last-minute gift, complete with a convenient link to buy online. According to statistics, the sale of cut flowers and indoor plants increases by an average of 40% on the day – making the event one of the most important for the floral industry. Mother's Day even tops Valentine’s Day, with men spending more on honouring their mums than their romantic partners.

3. More than 50 countries around the world celebrate some form of Mother's Day: It is a recognised holiday in many countries, and in Paraguay it coincides with Independence Day, known as Dia de la Patria. However, so many people ignored the country’s independence in favour of their mum that, in 2008, the country’s cultural minister called for Mother’s Day to be moved to the end of the month, in a bid to give the country's independence a look-in. A group of young people even petitioned parliament about moving Mother’s Day. It remains unchanged and is celebrated on May 15, with schools and children presenting poetry to recognise the importance of maternal figures in their society.

6. More phone calls are made on Mother’s Day than any other: What’s better than a generic card and a box of chocolates? Spending time with your mum. When this isn’t possible, a phone call or Skype call is the next best thing. The frequency and the duration of the calls even tops the ones made on New Year’s and Valentine’s Day, showing just how much people value their mums.

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7. Nearly every language in the world has a similar word for mother: The word “mama” is recognised almost universally – and around the world it is often among the first words babies speak. It was Russian Linguist Roman Jakobson who tried to explain the word's usage in a study titled "Mama and Papa". He said that as babies experiment with speaking, they often make the easiest sounds available to them – “mmm” and “aah”. When this is repeated, it starts to form something close to “ma-ma” – a huge source of pride to every mum, even though the baby is actually wanting fed.