When is Mother's Day 2012?

When is Mother's Day 2012? Here is a chart of the exact dates for 2012–2015.

What is the history of Mother's Day? When did it start? See what the Almanac has to say below, then go to our article on the history of Mother's Day for a more detailed background!

Want to bake mom something as sweet as she is? Try our Chocolate Mousse Cake or Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze. Or, if you're in the mood to go all out, make her breakfast in bed with these Strawberry Crepes!

And remember, Mother's Day is always celebrated on the second Sunday in May!

Mother's Day Dates

Mother's Day History

Although the custom of setting aside a day to honor mothers has ancient roots, our observance of Mother's Day originated in 1907 with the efforts of a devoted daughter, Anna M. Jarvis of Philadelphia, who conceived the idea of an annual nationwide celebration. The public and the press quickly embraced the idea, and villages, towns, cities, and states soon began unofficial Mother's Day observances. On May 8, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation designating the second Sunday in May Mother's Day, and within a few years, the idea gained worldwide prominence. The day is now characterized by gift giving, sending greeting cards and flowers, and giving mother a "day off" by taking the family out to eat.