Friday, September 26 | 2025
May is soon ending, bringing us closer to the summer months. But it is not over yet. Do you know what is celebrated in Sweden at the end of May? It’s Mother’s Day, Mors Dag in Swedish.
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In Sweden, this day is always celebrated on the last Sunday of May. This is late compared to the other countries and the reason for this late date is to make it possible for everyone all around the country to go outside and pick blooming flowers.
A bit of history – Mother’s Day in Sweden )
Mother’s Day was founded in Sweden in 1919 on the initiative of the author Cecilia Bååth-Holmberg following the American model. In a small booklet called “Mother’s Day” which was published in 1920, there were a number of instructions for how the day could be celebrated:
- The Swedish flag is hoisted from the home’s flagpole.
- Mother is greeted in the morning with songs by the children.
- Before getting out of bed, she was offered good coffee and bread, prepared by the children. She is honored with flowers and a small gift.
- She is, as far as possible, to rest and be free from all housework that day. The children make the bed, sweep, cook and do the dishes.
- At the afternoon coffee or in the evening, a small ceremony was held, where the father in the house participated.
- Absent children should send a letter or telegram or postcard, specially made for Mother’s Day.
As you can see, apparently the husband was not required to do much to celebrate the mother of his children 😃
Modern Mother’s day in Sweden
Mother’s Day is not an official holiday in Sweden and therefore not a flag day but it has nevertheless become a very popular holiday in the country.
It is usually a day of some celebration, where everyone takes the opportunity to show extra appreciation for their mothers. And who knows, unlike the fathers of 1920, modern dads are probably doing some of the cooking and cleaning and child caring :-).
Looking for Mothers day gifts?
The biggest gift for many mums is just to get a call, a visit, some quality time and a bit of extra love and care. But if you want to do some extra, here are some suggestions:
- Flowers are an oldie but a goodie. Bring them yourself or have them delivered. If you don’t know where to order flowers online, we suggest Interflora* who send flowers within Sweden and abroad.
- Lampgallerian* has cool lamps which is perhaps a bit of a random gift but one I gave my own mum a few years ago.
- Or perhaps a mini holiday for the two of you? There are a lot of lovely places to visit in Sweden. You find a list of useful travel websites here.
- If you are looking for sustainable gifts, here is a post on sustainable shopping places in Sweden.
- We also have a post Scandinavian furniture and decor and one from a newbie about her top places to shop for home decor in Stockholm, perhaps there is something for your mum there?
But what if all is not sunshine and roses and you have some resentment towards your mother? You are probably not alone in this but Mother’s Day is a good opportunity to forget old arguments and hopefully make nice again. Perhaps you could bring her a picture of the two of you together (preferably from before you fell out:.-)). It will make you think about nice and meaningful times spent together.
This special date is also an opportunity to remember and honour the mothers who are no longer with us, perhaps by lighting a candle or planting a beautiful flower on a grave.
Mother’s Day in Sweden is this week on Sunday! Get ready and organise something special and unforgettable for your mum.
When is Mother’s Day in your country and how do you usually celebrate it? Let us know in the comments below! And remember to tag us on our social media while celebrating this special day with your loved ones.
Source of information (in Swedish) – Nordiska Museet, Morsdag.
