Grandparent's Day is a United States secular holiday celebrated on the first Sunday after Labor Day. It has traditionally been used to honor both grandparents and their relationships with their grandchildren. In recent years, Grandparent's Day has become heavily commercialized. Greeting card companies have used this day to sell cards.
In 2006, Grandparent's Day is held on September 10. In 2007, this will be held on September 9. The official song of National Grandparents Day is "A Song For Grandma And Grandpa" by Johnny Prill.
History
The establishment of this holiday began with Marian McQuade, who spearhead a campaign for the establishment of an official holiday in honor of grandparents. Her efforts finally paid off in 1973 when Governor Arch Moore declared the first Grandparent's Day in West Virginia.
Later that year, Senator Jennings Randolph (D-WV) introduced a resolution in the United States Senate to make Grandparent's Day a national holiday. Five years later, Congress passed legislation proclaiming the first Sunday after Labor Day as National Grandparents Day.
Observance
Grandparent's Day can be celebrated in many ways. For some families, a small gathering is ideal, while others enjoy large reunions. Regardless of the size of the celebration, story-telling and reflection are integral elements in observing Grandparent's Day. Recently, greeting cards and other more traditional holiday activities have begun to take hold of this holiday as well.
Above all, this is a day for enjoying the love between grandparents and their grandchildren. Many families update photo albums and scrapbooks.