Happy Grandparents Day!
Today (September 9th, 2018) is National Grandparents Day in the USA — established by former President Jimmy Carter to be the first Sunday after Labor Day. Go to this site to see when Grandparents Day is celebrated in other parts of the world. What a great way to focus on the unique contributions grandparents make and to thank and celebrate them! 
According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, most grandparents love to make memories with their posterity, and they don’t care what activity they do—they “just want to spend time with their grandchildren.” We invite all grandparents and grandchildren to check out the many ideas found in the Family, Individuals, Youth, and Kids pages of The Family History Guide to celebrate Grandparents Day. In fact, we suggest stretching this special day to be “Grandparents Week” or continuing on to find ways to express gratitude to, learn from, and connect to make memories with grandparents all year long! Grandparents can enrich our lives in more ways than can be counted, and there is no doubt (speaking from personal experience) that grandchildren can enrich the lives of grandparents in more ways than be counted, too. Check out these blog posts for inspiration and ideas:
Grandparents Day was initiated by West Virginian Marian Lucille Herndon McQuade, with the “behind-the-scenes” support of her husband Joseph L. McQuade. The couple had 15 children, 43 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. After being married for over 60 years, Mr. McQuade passed away in 2001. Mrs. McQuade passed away in 2008. This Legacy Project Article offers enlightenment on Marian and her family and describes her “grassroots” effort to make her dream a reality: 
There are three purposes for National Grandparents Day: To give grandparents an opportunity to show love for their children’s children, to help children become aware of the strength, information and guidance older people can offer, and to help children become aware of the strength, information and guidance older people can offer.
Grandparents are our continuing tie to the near-past, to the events and beliefs and experiences that so strongly affect our lives and the world around us. Whether they are our own or surrogate grandparents who fill some of the gaps in our mobile society, our senior generation also provides our society a link to our national heritage and traditions.Mrs. McQuade wanted Grandparents Day to be a family day. She envisioned families enjoying small, private gatherings, perhaps even a family reunion, or participating in community events.
On a societal level, National Grandparents Day gives us a chance to publicly affirm the identity and importance of grandparents, that they do play a vital role in families. It is also a day of giving – giving of self; sharing hopes, dreams, and values; and setting an example and advocating for future generations. Generations United in Washington, DC encourages all ages to engage in intergenerational civic engagement for the entire week following National Grandparents Day.
Mrs. McQuade has modestly referred to herself as “just a housewife,” but her unending work to establish and publicize the holiday marks her as a true community leader. She spent much of her life advocating for older adults. In 1971 she was elected Vice-Chair of the West Virginia Committee on Aging and appointed as a delegate to the White House Conference on Aging. In 1972, Mrs. McQuade’s efforts resulted in President Richard Nixon proclaiming a National Shut-in Day. She served as President of the Vocational Rehabilitation Foundation, Vice-President of the West Virginia Health Systems Agency, and was appointed to the Nursing Home Licensing Board, among many other involvements.
Mrs. McQuade started her campaign for a day to honor grandparents in 1970. She worked with civic, business, church, and political leaders to first launch the day in her home state in 1973. Then, after many years, much persuasion, and unending persistence, she finally achieved her bigger goal. It was in 1979 that President Jimmy Carter proclaimed the first Sunday after Labor Day each year as National Grandparents Day (September was chosen to signify the “autumn” years of life). In part, the proclamation reads: “We all know grandparents whose values transcend passing fads and pressures, and who possess the wisdom of distilled pain and joy. Because they are usually free to love and guide and befriend the young without having to take daily responsibility for them, they can often reach out past pride and fear of failure and close the space between generations.”
Mrs. McQuade was thrilled when her efforts were finally realized. “I couldn’t believe it,” she said. Since the holiday’s inception, Mrs. McQuade has been firm in her view that the holiday should not become overly commercialized, and that young and old remember its fundamental spirit.
It is interesting to note that Grandparents Day has both an official flower and song. The official flower is the forget-me-not, and the song is Johnny Prill’s A Song For Grandma And Grandpa. Both were chosen by the National Grandparents Day Council.
Happy Grandparents Day!
