Mother's Day or Mothers' Day

[oldpedant]

Which one is correct? I've been spending too much time thinking about it over the past few days. Is it a day for all mothers or for the mother in each family? Mothering Sunday is a good compromise, but sounds dated and a bit twee.

Mothering Sunday

Mother's Day. For the mother in each family. Although i have just this minute convinced myself of that, after reading your post. Hearing you put it that way has sealed the deal for me. Thank you!!!!!! :)

reading, not hearing. obviously!

Mothering Sunday isn't outdated - our Mothering Sunday in the UK has a totally different history to the Mother's Day in the US

I'm not convinced. It's a day for all mothers so Mothers' Day to me. (I think)In school this week making Mothers' Day cards I have been wavering between scribing Mother's and Mothers' for the children. Still unsure!

This bothered me, I made a right mess as I wrote a grandma card to my mum from 7mo ds (in my defence it's her first ever!) as I copied the hallmark "mother's" then changed it to "mothers' " which looked wrong. Surely it's Mothers plural and therefore the apostrophe comes after the s?

I fudged my own card to mum, no apostrophe at all, which annoyed me but was rushing to catch the post.

This is my first post in PC. I'm not sure I'm cut out for it :).

Very true baroque; a different history and a different date. And I'm delighted to know that pedantic musings can lead to warm and happy decisions breadandhoney!

and OMG - I have just realised I'm in the wrong topic! I don't belong in Pedants' Corner

Maybe there's no definitive answer, it's an interesting one...!

and love the word "scribing" hocuspontas!

Tricky. I think it can be either IMO. Mother's Day if it is YOUR Mother's day or Mothers' Day if it is the day for all Mothers. Agree with oldpedant.