As the new year gets underway, it's time to make a note of all those important dates in your diary.

Mother's Day usually occurs on the fourth Sunday of Lent, but this also comes earlier this year, falling on Sunday March 6.

READ MORE: This year, Easter is falling earlier than normal, on the final weekend of March

Did you know...

In 17th century England, Mothering Sunday took place on the fourth Sunday of Lent. It began with a prayer service in honour of the Virgin Mary.

Afterwards children would present their mums with flowers.

Mother's Day is often associated with Mothering Sunday, which is a Christian holiday, but there is no relation between the American festival of that name.

Traditionally, it was a day when children, mainly daughters, who had gone to work as domestic servants were given a day off to visit their mother and family.

What's the association with Simnel Cake?

Simnel Cake is a special food item associated with Mothering Sunday. A Simnel cake is a rich fruit cake with a layer of almond paste on top and also in the middle.

The cake is made with 11 balls of marzipan icing on top, representing the 11 disciples (Judas is not included).

The cake was boiled in water, then baked. The Lent fast dictated that the Simnel cake be kept until Easter.

The word Simnel is said to have been derived from the Latin word "simila" which means a fine wheat flour mainly used for baking a cake.

There is also an interesting legend associated with the use of the word Simnel. It says that once a man called Simon and his wife Nell had an argument over whether the Mothering Sunday cake should be baked or boiled.

Ultimately, they did both. So the cake came be to named after both of them and was called, 'SIM-NELL'.

Why not take your mum for afternoon tea this Mother's Day? Here are the best places to go.