Mother’s Day gives everyone an excuse to spoil the most important woman in their lives

IT’S TIME for mothers of the world to take a bow and enjoy a day in the limelight while receiving well-earned declarations of love and appreciation.

Mother’s Day on Sunday, March 22 gives everyone an excuse to spoil the most important woman in their lives with cards, flowers and gifts.

The date changes every year because it is linked to the Christian calendar but usually falls in late March or early April.

Mothering Sunday as it is traditionally known is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent, which is three weeks before Easter Sunday.

In the United States and many destinations around the globe, Mother’s Day is celebrated in May. President Woodrow Wilson established the first US national Mother’s Day in 1914 after a campaign by social activist Anna Jarvis, known as the Mother of Mother’s Day.

Many countries in Europe and across the world have also adopted the US date.

In Ireland and the UK, Mother’s Day was originally a day for Christians to visit their ‘mother’ church back home during the holy month of Lent.

Workers would be given the day off to return home and worship with their loved ones and have a family reunion.

It is thought that the return to the ‘mother’ church led to the tradition of young domestic servants and apprentices being given the day off to visit their mother and family, picking flowers along the way to take with them.

Mothering Sunday is traditionally a day to say thank you to mothers for everything they do during the the rest of the year.

The sacrifices that parents make for their children are often so vast and numerous that children never get a chance to full repay their many kindnesses, so this Mother’s Day make sure to organise something special.

From school and college days to baby-sitting, child-minding, last minute dig outs and emotional support of all kinds, mothers are always there and for one day at least, it’s their turn to sit back and enjoy a day of indulgence.

There are numerous excellent florists and many lovely restaurants in County Wexford to help you spoil your mother with bouquets of flowers, lunch or afternoon tea. A spa break is another lovely gift and many local hotels offer excellent packages.

There is a saying that we only appreciate our parents when they’re gone so why not go all out and make this Mother’s Day something special for your mam, not just a last minute after thought.