How Many Mother’s Days Are There, Exactly? (And Why Your Mum Might Deserve More Than One)

If you’ve ever panic-bought flowers in May and thought, “Phew, nailed Mother’s Day for the year,” I have news for you: somewhere else in the world, another mum is being handed breakfast in bed… on a completely different date.

That’s right — Mother’s Day is not a single, globally agreed-upon moment of maternal appreciation. In fact, it’s more like a year-long relay race of love, tea, and slightly burnt toast.

So… how many Mother’s Days are we talking about?

Mother’s Day is celebrated on more than 10 different dates throughout the year across over 150 countries. Yes, your mum could theoretically demand multiple celebrations if she plays her cards right — and honestly, who could blame her?

While the second Sunday in May is the most popular date (shoutout to nearly 100 countries including the USA, Canada, Australia, India, China, and Japan), the rest of the world has decided to keep things interesting.

The “Main” Dates

Let’s start with the big ones:

• Second Sunday in May – The global overachiever. The Beyoncé of Mother’s Days.

• March 8 – Doubles as International Women’s Day in places like Russia, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Vietnam. Efficient and empowering.

• March 21 – Celebrated on the first day of spring in many Arab countries. Because nothing says “thanks, Mum” like fresh beginnings and blooming flowers.

• Fourth Sunday of Lent – Known as Mothering Sunday in the UK, Ireland, and beyond. Moves around every year just to keep us on our toes (and slightly confused).

The “Wait, That’s When?” Club

Now for the delightfully random — or, more kindly, deeply meaningful and culturally specific — dates:

• Norway: Second Sunday in February. Overachievers. Beating everyone to the punch.

• First Sunday in May: Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Lithuania, Romania — a nice early warm-up act.

• May 10: Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala — fixed date, no excuses, mark your calendar now.

• Last Sunday in May: France, Sweden, Morocco — unless France decides to politely move it to June because of Pentecost. Très considerate.

• August 12: Thailand celebrates on Queen Sirikit’s birthday. Royal mums deserve royal timing.

• Third Sunday in October: Argentina — fashionably late, but still fabulous.

• Last Sunday in November: Russia (again!) — because one celebration in March simply wasn’t enough.

• December 22: Indonesia — honouring the first Indonesian Women’s Congress. Ending the year on a meaningful note.

What Does This All Mean?

It means one simple thing: mums are universally loved, but locally scheduled.

Every date tells a story — whether it’s tied to religion, seasons, national history, or important women in a country’s past. There’s no single “correct” day, just a global agreement that mums deserve a moment (or several) in the spotlight.

Final Thoughts (and a Gentle Reminder)

So next time Mother’s Day rolls around, remember:

• Somewhere else, it’s already happened.

• Somewhere else, it’s still coming.

• And somewhere, a mum is definitely comparing gifts.

At the end of the day, the exact date doesn’t matter nearly as much as the sentiment. Whether it’s March, May, or December, the goal is the same: make Mum feel appreciated, loved, and ideally not responsible for cooking dinner.

And if you do forget?
Well… there’s always another country’s Mother’s Day coming up soon. 😉