Why Spain Celebrates Mother's Day in May — and Why It's a Week Before the UK

A Week Apart — and the Reason Why

Every year, the same confusion plays out for families living between Spain and the UK: flowers arrive a week early, or a week late. Spain celebrates Mother's Day on the first Sunday of May, while the United Kingdom and United States observe the second Sunday of May. That single week's difference has real roots — in Spain's Catholic heritage, a previous date tied to a religious feast, and a deliberate decision to bring the celebration in line with the rest of Europe.

Ancient Roots: Greece, Rome and the Church

The impulse to honour maternal figures has ancient precedents. In ancient Greece, people paid tribute to Rhea — regarded as the mother of the gods — in celebrations tied to nature and fertility. The Romans held their own equivalent: the festival of Hilaria, dedicated to the goddess Cybele, held in March and lasting several days.

With the spread of Christianity across Europe, the focus shifted to the Virgin Mary, and a day known as Mothering Sunday emerged in several countries — carrying both religious meaning and a more practical tradition of family reunion, particularly for those working away from home.

The Modern Version — Born in America

The shape of Mother's Day as most people know it today emerged in the 19th century United States. Activist Julia Ward Howe proposed a day dedicated to mothers — not as a commercial occasion, but as a moment of unity following the divisions of the American Civil War. Over time the meaning shifted from public gathering to private family life, and as the idea spread internationally, each country adapted the date to its own traditions and calendar.

Why Spain Changed from December to May

Spain's path to a May celebration was not straightforward. For many years, Mother's Day in Spain was tied to 8 December — the feast of the Immaculate Conception, one of the most significant dates in the Spanish Catholic calendar. The celebration was more religious in character than the family-centred occasion it is today.

A decision was eventually made to separate the two, moving Mother's Day away from 8 December and onto a date that was more distinctly its own. May was a natural choice for two reasons: it maintained a cultural connection to the Virgin Mary (May is traditionally her month in the Catholic calendar), and it brought Spain in line with other European countries already celebrating around the same time. Celebrating in spring also helped shape the lighter, more family-centred atmosphere associated with it today.

Spain settled on the first Sunday of May. The US — and subsequently the UK — opted for the second Sunday. One week apart, and the source of annual confusion ever since.

How Spain Marks the Day

Across Spain today, Mother's Day is built around small but meaningful gestures: a meal together, a bouquet of flowers, a phone call home. Restaurants expect one of their busiest weekends of the season. Florists sell out early. For many families it is less about gifts and more about making the effort to come together.

For expat families in Spain — particularly British families navigating the one-week difference — the simplest approach is to mark both: the Spanish first Sunday with family in Spain, and the UK second Sunday with a call home.

This article is based on reporting from Euro Weekly News, published May 3, 2026.