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| National Grandparents Day | |
| Observed by | United States and Canada |
|---|---|
| Type | National |
| Date | First Sunday after Labor Day |
| 2009 date | September 13, 2009 |
National Grandparents Day is a secular holiday celebrated in the United States and Canada on the first Sunday after Labor Day and is celebrated in the United Kingdom on the first Sunday in October.
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United States
Grandparents' Day can be traced back to the first national Grandparent's Day in 1978. With the efforts of Marian McQuade of Oak Hill, West Virginia, she has been recognized nationally by The United States Senate, in particular Senator Alphonse D'Amato, and President Carter as the founder of National Grandparents Day. McQuade made it her goal to educate the young in the community to the important contributions senior citizens have made, and to the important contributions they are willing to make if asked. She also urged the young to adopt a grandparent, not for one day a year, not for material giving, but for a lifetime of experience and caring just waiting to be shared with others.
Later that year, Senator Jennings Randolph (D-WV) introduced a resolution in the United States Senate to make Grandparents Day a national holiday. Five years later in 1978, Congress passed legislation proclaiming the first Sunday after Labor Day as National Grandparents Day and then-President Jimmy Carter signed the proclamation[1].The statute cites the day's purpose as: "... to honor grandparents, to give grandparents an opportunity to show love for their children's children, and to help children become aware of strength, information, and guidance older people can offer."
The official song of National Grandparents Day is "A Song For Grandma And Grandpa" by Johnny Prill. The official flower is the forget-me-not.
Canada
National Grandparents Day began in Canada in 1995. Motion Number 273 moved in the House of Commons by Mr. Sarkis Assadourian read [2]:
That, in the opinion of this House, the government should consider designating the second Sunday in September of each year as grandparents day in order to acknowledge their importance to the structure of the family in the nurturing, upbringing and education of children.
The motion was agreed to.
United Kingdom
The celebration was introduced to the UK in 1990 by charity Age Concern. From 2008 it has been celebrated on the first Sunday in October.[3]
References
- ^ Jimmy Carter: Proclamation 4580 - National Grandparents Day, 1978
- ^ "Debates (No. 247)". Debates of the House of Commons: 35th Parliament, 1st Session. House of Commons of Canada. October 25, 1995. http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?pub=Hansard&doc=247&Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=35&Ses=1#GRANDPARENTSDAY. Retrieved on May 11, 2008.
- ^ Grandparents' Day has moved to Sunday 5th October 2008 - Age Concern 2008-02-26
External links
- National Grandparents Day Homepage
- National Grandparents Day Council official page
- "A Song For Grandma And Grandpa" webpage
- U.S. Code 36 U.S.C. § 125
- Grandparents Day Activities
- Grandparents Day
- Grandparents Day Information from Grandparents.com
- The History of Grandparents Day (US and Canada)
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