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Grandparents Day
Grandparents Day is a day for celebrating the connection between generations, our family roots and the value of our families foundation.
A short version of its Origins.
Grandparents Day roots go back to 1956. A West Virginia mother named Marian McQuade while helping to organize an over 80's community celebration, she became aware of the many nursing home residents who were forgotten by their families. She wanted a holiday to bring attention to these forgotten individuals and to honor all grandparents. In 1973, West Virginia became the first state to have such a day and subsequently short after McQuade and followers shifted their efforts to the national level, making it a successful nationwide celebration in 1978.
Grandparents Day is a national holiday or observance, celebrated each year on the first Sunday after Labor Day. Though not recognized as a federal holiday it is still a purposeful celebration to our family founders.
Purpose of Grandparents Day
The purpose of the holiday, as previously stated, is "to honor grandparents with the opportunity to show love for their children's children, and to bring into awareness to grandchildren the importance of grandparents in our lives.
How to Celebrate Grandparents Day
Today many families celebrate Grandparents Day with family get-together's. These need not be elaborate, here are some ideas.
- A simple meal and time to visit will please most grandparents.
- In our local communities in South Florida and Miami, Grandparents love to play domino and share a family dinner
- Grandparents Day is also a great time to look at old pictures and tell stories about our family tree and ancestral roots.
- Board games, table games like card games, and puzzles are fun low-key amusements.
- If the family would like an outing, a few venues (mainly museums) host annual Grandparents Day celebrations.
- To share some family myths and funny stories
- To find out what is of most important to our grandparents
It is true that some families celebrate by giving gifts to grandparents. It is equally in keeping with the spirit of the holiday for grandparents to give gifts to their grandchildren, especially gifts that celebrate family traditions.
Other ways to celebrate for those far away
- With the advance of technology it becomes easier to reach out and facetime and do as much possible to celebrate even through a virtual get together
- You can also write an old fashion letter and send them a card or a moment in time of share happiness
- And of course there's always the option of sending flowers to our grandparents here in Miami and Hialeah, particularly for those far away from us. You can send them a personalized message written on our unique customized message box, the golden fair basket, the flower cake or our best seller butterfly state.
As I write this blog I do so with sadness, thinking of the many grandparents spending time in isolation because of COVID.
Reach out, even if not physical, invest your time in fixed values, those that are foundational to our family lineage in years and generations to come.
To my grandparents and great-grandparents that I had the joy to meet, you will always be in my heart!
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