National Grandparents Day has more than one origin

Some people consider it to have been first proposed by Michael Goldgar in the 1970s after he visited his aunt in an Atlanta nursing home, Spending $11,000 of his own money in lobbying efforts to have the day officially recognized, he made 17 trips to Washington DC over a seven-year span to meet with legislators.

Marian Lucille Herndon McQuade urged people to adopt a grandparent

Others consider Marian Lucille Herndon McQuade, a housewife in West Virginia, to have been the main driver for the day of observance. Throughout the 1970s McQuade worked hard to educate the people about the important contributions senior citizens made and the contributions that they would be willing to make if asked. She also urged people to adopt a grandparent, not for one day a year and not for material giving, but for a lifetime of experience.

National Grandparents Day was signed into law by President Jimmy Carter in 1978.

Marian McQuade received a phone call from the White House to advise her of this event. Many people believe that National Grandparents Day was inspired by her efforts. A presidential proclamation on September 6, 1979, made this day official – it designated Sunday, September 9, 1979, (being the “first Sunday of September following Labor Day”) as National Grandparents Day.

About four million greeting cards are sent within the United States each year on National Grandparents Day. This day is also an opportunity for people to appreciate and express their love to their grandparents through kind actions such as making a phone call or inviting their grandparents for dinner.  People living in retirement villages or nursing homes may receive a visit from their grandchildren or loved ones on this day. Many school students take part in story-telling activities that relate to their grandparents, as well as art or poster competitions where children often use a story about their grandparents in their artwork.

The official song of National Grandparents Day is “A Song for Grandma and Grandpa” by Johnny Prill.

The official flower for the day is the “forget-me-not” flower.

National Grandparents Day Celebration Ideas:

Draw or color a special picture for your grandparents. Fold it into a card and list all of the things you love about your grandparents

Spend a day in a park enjoying board games or cards games and surprise them with a picnic lunch

Print up some photos at Walgreens, grab some stick glue and 8×10 poster board then spend time with them Creating a photo collage of fun memories

Head over to Michaels and pick up a watercolor art kit, then spend an afternoon Making fun fingerprint art on a small canvas. Surprise them afterward by Hosting a tea party with iced tea and cookies

Plant them some flowers in a flower pot that you painted yourself

Create a movie theatre at home with a concession stand & invite them over for a special movie screening

Take some fun family portraits

Put on a special concert for them playing instruments at home or by creating your own fun instruments

Bake them some cookies

Many Thanks to timeanddate.com  for the history lesson.