The apostrophe matters.
When writing about the holiday that honors mothers, many wonder about the correct placement of the apostrophe. Is it “Mother’s Day,” “Mothers’ Day,” or simply “Mothers Day”? The answer lies in understanding this beloved celebration’s grammar rules and history.
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The Grammar Behind Mother’s Day
“Mother’s Day” is the correct spelling, with the apostrophe before the ‘s’. This placement indicates singular possessive—a day belonging to each individual mother, rather than a collective day for all mothers.
The holiday was intended to honor each mother’s unique contribution to her family. When Anna Jarvis founded the modern American version of Mother’s Day, she was specific about the apostrophe placement. She envisioned a day where each family would celebrate their own mother, making it a singular possessive.
If written as “Mothers’ Day” (with the apostrophe after the ‘s’), it would indicate a day belonging to all mothers collectively. While this might seem appropriate too, it wasn’t the founder’s intent.
Related:
A Brief History of Mother’s Day
The modern celebration of Mother’s Day began in the early 20th century through the efforts of Anna Jarvis. After her mother’s death in 1905, Jarvis conceived of Mother’s Day as a way to honor the sacrifices mothers made for their children.
The first official Mother’s Day celebration took place in May 1908 in Grafton, West Virginia, at a church where Anna’s mother had taught. Jarvis then began a campaign to establish Mother’s Day as a national holiday, and by 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation designating the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day.
Interestingly, Jarvis later became disillusioned with the commercialization of the holiday she had created. She spent many years fighting against what she saw as the exploitation of Mother’s Day by florists, card companies, and other businesses. She even protested at a confectioners’ convention in 1923 and was arrested for disturbing the peace at a meeting of American War Mothers in 1925.
Other “Day” Holidays and Their Apostrophes
The apostrophe placement in holidays varies:
- Mother’s Day/Father’s Day: Both use the singular possessive, honoring each individual parent.
- Veterans Day: No apostrophe, as it’s seen as a day to honor veterans rather than belonging to them.
- Presidents’ Day: Uses the plural possessive, as it honors multiple presidents (originally Washington and Lincoln).
- New Year’s Day: Singular possessive, referring to the day belonging to the new year.
The Personal Nature of Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day is primarily about celebrating one’s own mother or mother figure. It’s a personal holiday where we take time to honor and appreciate the specific women who have nurtured us. This personal focus aligns with the singular possessive form: Mother’s Day.
So when you’re writing that card or email this May, remember that it’s “Happy Mother’s Day”—a special day dedicated to your unique and irreplaceable mother.
Mother’s day was meant to celebrate the contribution of each mother to her family, mothers as a collective group. It is not a day to honor all the mothers in the world. It is a day to celebrate each mother as an individual.
That is why the apostrophe is after r and before s, so that it indicates that the mother is an individual. If the apostrophe was after s, then the meaning completely changes. For example, April Fool’s Day is a day for all the fools of the world. That is why the apostrophe is after L. If Mother’s Day were spelled Mothers’ Day, then the holiday would refer to a day for all the mothers in the world to celebrate together.
This is why you will see that people wish Happy Mother’s day to their mother only and not to everyone. It is different from other popular days like Christmas Day, where you wish everyone a happy day.
