Happy Mother's Day 2026: Google Celebrates The Day With Special Doodle

Happy Mother's Day 2026: Mother's Day has become one of the most widely observed holidays in the world, when millions of people pause to thank their mothers. This year, Mother's Day is being celebrated on May 10. Google is celebrating the day with a special doodle to honour all the mothers in the world. "This Doodle celebrates Mother's Day with a handcrafted card featuring paper-cut letters, a carnation, and a cacti - a symbol of protection and unconditional love," Google wrote in the blog.

Google Doodle:

Photo Credit: Google

Mother's Day On May 10

This year, Mother's Day will be celebrated today, which is Sunday, May 10, in India, the United States, Australia, Canada and dozens of other countries that mark it on the second Sunday of May.

However, not every nation uses that date. The UK and parts of Europe observe "Mothering Sunday" on the fourth Sunday of Lent, which falls in March.

Meanwhile, Thailand celebrates on August 12, the birthday of Queen Sirikit and Ethiopia gathers in autumn for a multi-day festival called Antrosht.

Also read | Mother's Day 2026: Date, History, Significance And How It's Celebrated Worldwide

Mother's Day History

The concept of Mother's Day isn't new as ancient Greeks and Romans held spring festivals for mother goddesses - Rhea, mother of Zeus, and Cybele, known as Magna Mater or "Great Mother". They offered honey-cakes and flowers at dawn.

In medieval Europe, the early Christian festival of "Mothering Sunday" emerged. On the fourth Sunday of Lent, people returned to their "mother church", which is the main church or cathedral of the area, for a special service. Over time, it became a day when domestic servants were given time off to visit family, and children would pick flowers for their mothers.

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In modern times, the celebration gained importance in the early 20th century through the efforts of social activist Anna Jarvis in the US. In 1908, Anna Jarvis organised the first official Mother's Day to honour her mother's life of service. Her mother had actively participated in community service during the American Civil War.

The tradition was later formalised as the second Sunday of May, which was also the day Anna's mother passed away.

The celebrations are not limited to biological mothers. Many also honour grandmothers, stepmothers, aunts, foster moms, and other caregivers. For some, the day also brings grief or longing for mothers lost, estranged, or never had.