National Mother-in-Law Day Date in the current year: October 27, 2024

A mother-in-law is the mother of one’s spouse. A person’s relationship with their mother-in-law can be either a source of support or a source of conflict in their marriage. In popular culture, mothers-in-law are often stereotypically portrayed as nosy, bossy, overbearing, unfriendly, or even outright hostile, but this is not always always the case in real life. Quite a lot of people have a cordial relationship with their mother-in-law, and some even consider her as a mother figure.

Some people are accepted into their partner’s family with open arms and form an instant bond with their mother-in-law. For some, it takes years to develop a relationship with their partner’s mother. Every relationship is different, and every relationship needs work; a positive and harmonious relationship with your mother-in-law can strengthen your marriage because, whether you want it or not, your partner’s mother is an important part of their life.

National Mother-in-Law Day has a long history. Its roots can be traced back to 1934, when newspaper editor Gene Howe from Amarillo, Texas came up with the idea of initiating a holiday in honor of all mothers-in-law modeled after Mother’s Day. The inaugural celebration of National Mother-in-Law Day took place on March 5, 1934.

During the decades that followed, National Mother-in-Law Day celebrations were organized on different dates by different groups. In 1975, the National Mothers-in-Law Day Council proclaimed the last Sunday in October as National Mother-in-Law Day. A couple of years later, the Society of American Florists and Florists’ Transworld Delivery got involved with the holiday, seeing it as a way to boost their respective businesses, and the celebration began to grow. At some point, its date was changed from the last Sunday of October to the fourth Sunday of October.

National Mother-in-Law Day was created to acknowledge the special relationship between married adults and their spouses’ mothers. It is the day when you can (and should) reach out to your mother-in-law to thank her for her support, advice, encouragement, and assistance. If your mother-in-law lives within driving distance, spend some quality time together: go out for brunch or lunch, watch a movie, go on a hike, cook something together – in other words, do something that will help you bond. If you can’t see your mother-in-law in person, you can order her a present, send her a greeting card, or give her a call.

Of course we understand that not all people are on the best of terms with their mother-in-law. However, your mother-in-law is your spouse’s mother and the grandmother of your children; maybe National Mother-in-Law Day can be the day when you extend an olive branch and try to mend your strained relationship for your family’s sake.