The Development of Mother's Day in the United Kingdom
　　In 17th century England, to express respect for British mothers, the fourth Sunday of Lent was designated as "Mothering Sunday," on which people returned home to visit their parents and show their respects. (Note: Lent refers to the 40 days before Easter Sunday, excluding Sundays).
　　At that time, many poor people had to work in wealthy people's homes to survive, and were forced to live in their masters' houses. On "Mothering Sunday" (Mother's Day), the masters would give them a day off and encourage them to return home to reunite with their mothers. To add to the festive atmosphere, a special cake called "mothering cake" was developed.
　　As Christianity spread across Europe, this holiday transformed into a celebration of "Mother Church": expressing gratitude to the spiritual force that gave them life and protected them from harm. From then on, church rituals were combined with Mother's Day celebrations to convey people's appreciation for both mothers and the church.
　　The Development of Mother's Day in the United States
　　In the United States, the earliest record of Mother's Day was proposed by Julia Ward Howe (the author of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic") in 1872. She suggested dedicating the day to "peace" and held Mother's Day gatherings in Boston and other places.
　　In 1907, Anna Jarvis from Philadelphia initiated an activity to establish a national Mother's Day. She convinced the church where her mother belonged, located in West Virginia, to hold a Mother's Day celebration on the second anniversary of her mother's death - the second Sunday of May. The following year, people in Philadelphia also began celebrating Mother's Day on the same day.
　　Afterward, Anna and her supporters began writing letters to ministers, business leaders, and politicians, requesting the establishment of a national Mother's Day. Their efforts were successful, as by 1911, almost all states had begun celebrating Mother's Day. President Woodrow Wilson officially declared Mother's Day as a national holiday in 1914, which is celebrated on the second Sunday of every May.
　　Mother's Day Around the World
　　Although many countries celebrate their own Mother's Day at different times of the year, most countries such as Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, and Belgium celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday of May.