Mother-in-Law Day 2024

Mother-in-Law Day was 45 days, ie 1 month and 14 days ago.

In 2024 Mother-in-Law Day was on October 27th (sunday).

Even though many of us like to make jokes about her, mother-in-law is a really important person in our life. Yes, it is true – she is often introduced in ribs as an irritating woman that requires too much attention. In fact, however, mother-in-law is a person who brought your beloved one into the world. She also accepted you as a part of her family and opened her arms wide to welcome you. She is protective, helpful and ready to make sacrifices for the family’s well-being. All of this makes your mother-in-law worth honouring and appreciating. A great opportunity to do that and to think of all the good things about your mother-in-law is an International Mother-in-Law Day.

The holiday was initiated by Gene Howe, an American editor, as another version of Mother’s Day. At first it was observed in March, and later on different dates until the 1970s. Since that time Mother-in-Law Day is annually observed on the fourth Sunday in October. The date is very comfortable – the fact that the observance is always on Sunday makes it easier to spend some time with your “second mother”. If your relationship is not as good as you wished it would be, this holiday could make up the greatest opportunity to develop it. It is not the easiest thing in the world to start showing love to the person who used to be a stranger to you. It takes time, sometimes years, to build a true bond. So, on the fourth Sunday in October try to be the best child you can. How can you do that?

Try to think about what makes your mother-in-law happy. You may think of new perfumes, a bouquet of flowers or maybe her favourite sweets. But there is one thing that you cannot buy that would probably make each mother-in-law touched – time spent together with her beloved children. Invite her for a meal, take her for a coffee, watch family pictures together or simply have a walk in the park. If you are not able to do that, just call her and tell her how important she is in your life. This might be much more precious than any physical gift. Practical help is always welcome too. Ask your mother-in-law if she needs something to be done in the house. Ask her for advice or to teach you something – mothers really love doing that! They want to feel needed, useful. But most importantly – always appreciate what she does for you and your family every day and be grateful for all of this.

Did you know?

Mother-in-Law Day can be said to have been initiated accidentally. Gene Howe as an editor had once published an article in the local Amarillo newspaper that was dedicated to holidays such as Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Just another article, one may say, but the author had made a kind of a joke by the end of the text in which he noticed that there is no holiday for a mother-in-law. The editor liked the idea and started to develop the theme.