Home » Best Days » Celebrate Grandparents September 7

Celebrate Grandparents September 7

Celebrated the first Sunday after Labor Day, Grandparents’ Day is a time to honor grandparents and the wisdom, strength, and guidance they impart to younger generations. The holiday is observed in September to signify the “autumn years” of life.

Grandparents’ Day was founded as a result of the efforts of Marian McQuade, a West Virginia housewife with 15 children and 40 grandchildren. A lifelong advocate for senior citizens, Mrs. McQuade began her campaign for a holiday honoring grandparents in 1970. Three years later, the first Grandparents’ Day was proclaimed in West Virginia. The same year, the idea was introduced in the United States Senate. After numerous letters to politicians and nationwide lobbying by Mrs. McQuade and her team, President Jimmy Carter signed the Grandparents’ Day proclamation in 1978.

Grandparents’ Day is a great time for families to gather for reunions. Bring along a deck of cards or a board game that grandparents can enjoy playing with the grandchildren. Pull out the old photo albums and let grandparents share about the “good ole days.” This would be a golden opportunity to record and preserve these treasured stories from the family’s history for future generations.

And this Grandparents’ Day, remember the many shut-ins and elderly in nursing homes who have been forgotten. Have your children make greeting cards for these patriarchs and matriarchs of society. Adopt some of these forgotten grandparents, and visit them on a regular basis. Taking time to sit down and talk will let them know they are appreciated, valued, and cared for.

In today’s fast-paced world, we often neglect to tell those closest to us how much they mean. So this Grandparents’ Day, take the opportunity to express love and gratitude to those we respect the most.