The modern Mother's Day holiday was created by Anna Jarvis, as a day to honor mothers and motherhood; especially within the context of families, and family relationships. It is now celebrated on various days, in many parts of the world. Father's Day is a corresponding holiday honoring fathers.

The practice of celebrating Mother's Day is a relatively recent tradition, first established in the U.S.A. in the early 20th century. It should not be confused with other pagan and Christian traditions honoring mothers, or with the U.K. holiday, Mothering Sunday, which is also known as Mother's Day and dates back to the 16th century.

Many countries around the world now celebrate a "Mother's Day", generally this is a recent practice, derived from the U.S. tradition. Exceptions include, for example, Mothering Sunday in the UK, which predates the U.S. holiday.

Different countries celebrate Mother's Day on various days of the year because the day has a number of different origins.

One school of thought [who?] claims this day emerged from a custom of mother worship in ancient Greece, which kept a festival to Cybele, a great mother of Greek gods. This festival was held around the Vernal Equinox around Asia Minor and eventually in Rome itself from the Ides of March (15 March) to 18 March.

The ancient Romans also had another holiday, Matronalia, that was dedicated to Juno, though mothers were usually given gifts on this day.

In addition to Mother's Day, International Women's Day is celebrated in many countries on March 8.

In 1912, Anna Jarvis trademarked the phrases "second Sunday in May" and "Mother's Day", and created the Mother's Day International Association.

"She was specific about the location of the apostrophe; it was to be a singular possessive, for each family to honour their mother, not a plural possessive commemorating all mothers in the world."

This is also the spelling used by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson in the law making official the holiday in the U.S., by the U.S. Congress on bills, and by other U.S. presidents on their declarations.

Common usage in English language also dictates that the ostensibly singular possessive "Mother's Day" is the preferred spelling, although "Mothers' Day" (plural possessive) is not unheard of.

The real religion of the world comes from women much more than from men - from mothers most of all, who carry the key of our souls in their bosoms. - Oliver Wendell Holmes

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