Mothering Sunday

Yep, it is Mother's Day here! Mothering Sunday is the fourth Sunday of Lent. Although it's often called Mothers' Day it has no connection with the American holiday of the same name. Most Sundays in the year churchgoers in England worship at their nearest parish or 'daughter church'. Centuries ago it was considered important for people to return to their home or 'mother' church once a year. So each year in the middle of Lent, everyone would visit their 'mother' church - the main church or Cathedral of the area.

Inevitably the return to the 'mother' church became an occasion for family reunions when children who were working away returned home. (It was quite common in those days for children to leave home for work once they were ten years old.) Today it is a day when children give presents, flowers, and home-made cards to their mothers. {similar to the US}

The food item specially associated with Mothering Sunday is the Simnel cake. A Simnel cake is a fruit cake with two layers of almond paste, one on top and one in the middle. The cake is made with 11 balls of marzipan icing on top representing the 11 disciples. {Judas is not included.} Traditionally, sugar violets would also be added.