There is a date that, every year, reminds us how often we take one of the most important people in our lives for granted. Mother’s Day 2026 falls on May 10th – the second Sunday of the month – and, between last minute cards and trips to the florist, it is worth stopping for a moment to discover what is really hidden behind this anniversary.
Because Mother’s Day is not just about flowers and chocolates. It is a celebration that crosses cultures, centuries and continents, with roots much deeper than you might think. And today, in an era in which we talk more and more about conscious motherhood, emotional labor and mutual care, its meaning is enriched with new nuances.
The very ancient (and somewhat surprising) origins
Why do we celebrate Mother’s Day? The answer is much older than we imagine. Already in polytheistic civilizations there were rites dedicated to Mother Earth and to the divinities linked to the spring rebirth of nature. The Greeks honored Rhea, mother of all the gods and great procreator, while the Romans venerated Cybele, symbol of Nature and all mothers. It is no coincidence, therefore, that this festival occurs in spring: the awakening of nature has always been a metaphor for life, fertility and new beginnings.
What is the meaning today
If once Mother’s Day was linked above all to the figure of the mother as the center of the family, today its meaning has evolved. The contemporary debate on motherhood — with topics such as mental loadshared parenting and recognition of care work — made this day even more meaningful.
Celebrating mothers in 2025 also means recognizing all the invisible work she often carries out: emotional, logistical, relational. A bouquet of flowers is not enough (although it is always nice): what really matters is the quality of the attention. A thoughtful gesture, a shared moment, a thank you said from the heart are worth more than any expensive gift.
Mother’s Day in Italy: how it was born
In Italy, Mother’s Day has two founding fathers. The first is Don Otello Migliosi, who in 1957, in the small village of Tordibetto in Assisi, officially celebrated the figure of the mother for the first time. The second is the senator and mayor of Bordighera Raul Zaccari, who had already established a first celebration in 1956. Since then, the second Sunday of May has become a fixed date in the emotional calendar of Italians.
Mother’s Day around the world: stories you don’t expect
Mother’s Day is a global occasion, but each country has its own history. In Great Britain, the Mothering Sunday: the fourth Sunday of Lent was the day when children away from home – at boarding school or learning a trade – could return to their mother, bringing with them flowers and small gifts.
The best-known story, however, is that of the United States. At the end of the 19th century, the pacifist Julia Ward Howe proposed a day dedicated to mothers with a message of peace, against the backdrop of the battles for universal suffrage and the abolition of slavery. But it is thanks to Anna M. Jarvis that the festival was officially recognized: in 1908 the Mother’s Dayratified in 1914 by President Wilson.
The fate of Anna Jarvis, however, is a bitter story: she never had children and spent the last years of her life fighting against the commercialization of the party that she herself had helped to create, dying alone in a hospice. A parable that, even today, invites us to reflect on what honoring mothers really means.
Mother’s Day 2026: dates around the world
On May 10, 2026, Mother’s Day is celebrated in Italy and many other countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Philippines, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Latvia, Malta, Malaysia, New Zealand, Netherlands, Peru, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Slovakia, United States, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, Venezuela, Nigeria and Japan.
In the United Kingdom and Ireland it is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent, while other countries have chosen different dates: December, August, November, February, March or October. A reminder that mommy’s love doesn’t have a universal calendar — and maybe rightly so.
Mother’s Day: sustainable and DIY gift ideas
The trend of the moment? Less consumerism, more meaning. More and more people are choosing handmade gifts, shared experiences or simple but thoughtful gestures. A picnic in a special place, a carefully cooked dinner, a digital photo album or a handwritten card can be worth a thousand times more than a last minute purchase.
If you’re looking for inspiration, here are some original, low-impact ideas:
