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Pedants' corner
Original poster

Mothering Sunday -can I just point out ???????

26 replies

bossybritches · 16/02/2008 21:59

Mothers Day is an american card manufacturers invention.

We celebrate Mothering Sunday which is a church holiday originally made popular by the Victorians who let the female servants of the house have an extra sunday off during Lent to go to their own home church & visit family.

Just thought I'd share, as yet again I rifle through hundred of cards looking for a "Mothering Sunday " one!!

OP posts:
moondog · 16/02/2008 21:59

Oh yes,you are so right.

Original poster
bossybritches · 16/02/2008 22:33

Thank-you moondog I just had to vent!!!

Maybe I should have put it in AIBU but I KNOW the answer is yes so put it on here!!!

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ghosty · 19/02/2008 00:03

You are right Moony ... BUT in Australia they don't have Mothering Sunday (in Lent like you say nor at any other time)
They have "Mother's Day" in May ... so do the Americans. So, made up or not, it isn't the same as Mothering Sunday anyway. 'Tis the Brits wot have got it wrong by calling Mothering Sunday "Mother's Day" ...

hellish · 19/02/2008 00:05

When is it? I need to remember to send my mum a card.

jura · 19/02/2008 00:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PissyGalore · 19/02/2008 00:11

oh who cares?

same difference.

have as much respect for the americans as i do for the victorians/church.

erm....more so actually now i think about it

hellish · 19/02/2008 03:14

Thanks Jura

McDreamylove · 19/02/2008 06:02

My mum ALWAYS used to say this and of course she was right but [yawn]

I've had 37 years of her saying every year

fym · 19/02/2008 07:35

go to www.moonpig.com you can alter the text on cards to say what you want!

hana · 19/02/2008 07:58

find it a bit ironic that you're looking for a card then from your first post

Minum · 19/02/2008 08:11

Totally agree, my mother goes up the wall when people say Mothers Day. If we went back to calling its proper name of Mothering Sunday, perhaps we could decomercialise it (and I dont see a conflict between non-commercial and buying a card, especially if you send it to someone you can't actually see on the day)

MaryAnnSingleton · 19/02/2008 08:15

thank you for that reminder bossy....will you be making a simnel cake for your mum ? I did once !

hana · 19/02/2008 08:19

to be fair, the commercialization came after - check out the origins of Mother's Day (in the states) here
www.mothersdaycelebration.com/mothers-day-history.html

AbbeyA · 19/02/2008 08:19

I have a hard job trying to find a card that says Mothering Sunday (although it seemed to be easier this year),my mother hates it being 'Mother's Day'. However since most people don't go to church or understand that it is the 4th Sunday in Lent, I don't suppose that it matters that we have gone the American way.

ernest · 19/02/2008 08:41

fym, just looked at that site - absolutely fantastic for us living abroad who a. can't get 'mother's day' cards and b. always leave it a tad too late, so can now get them sent direct and c. don't have a clue when 'mother's day'/mothering Sunday is cos it isn't over here.

Will become a firm favourite, and they're just around the price you'd be paying anyway.

THANK YOU very much

UnquietDad · 19/02/2008 23:06

I've had 38 years of my mother saying it every year too! This will be the 38th!

(You don't get Fathering Sunday. Isn't it funny how mothering and fathering appear to mean very different things? Noticed this when they announced Gordon Brown was "going to be a father again", like he had stopped or something.)

nct73 · 28/02/2008 14:12

I would quite like it to return to being Mothering Sunday as I get apostrophe anxiety every year. Surely it is a day celebrating ALL mothers (plural) so should be Mothers' Day not Mother's Day.

scaryteacher · 28/02/2008 17:07

Just found cards saying Mothering Sunday in the British shop in Brussels, and have bought 10, as I have very fussy mother. That's 1 each from DS and I for the next 5 years. MIL not fussy, Mothers Day OK with her.

PennyBenjamin · 29/02/2008 15:05

Erm, ignoring the Mothering Sunday point (which I totally agree with), shouldn't it be Mothers' Day, not Mother's Day?

PennyBenjamin · 29/02/2008 15:07

Sorry, just seen I have repeated NCT73's point - totally agree, is a day for all mothers, not just one mother's day.

Original poster
bossybritches · 29/02/2008 20:16

God I love pedantry!!!

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FAQ · 02/03/2008 23:51

Thought you pedants might be pleased to hear that the card that DS1 presented to me this morning (which was made at school) said

"Happy Mothering Sunday" rather than Mothers Day

Original poster
bossybritches · 05/03/2008 12:32

Good for DS1 & his teacher then FAQ!!

She/he could be a fellow pedant??

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snowleopard · 05/03/2008 12:34

The phrase "Mothering Sunday" just sounds awful to me. it makes me think of an overbearing older lady standing over me saying "you haven't eaten all that poached egg, what's wrong with you" and "wrap up warm when you go out".

Still I suppose that would be a less commercial version of the day...

Original poster
bossybritches · 05/03/2008 12:50

Know what you mean snow!!

It's because it celebrates the whole Mothering thing not just being a mother.

But hey-ho it's done for another year & I have the chocolcate induced spots to prove it!!

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