Grandparents Day
Krista Knauer
We all know that feeling of trying to find just the right gift for our mothers , fathers , wives , and husband for Mother ’ s Day in May and Father ’ s Day in June . But did you know that we should also be worrying about what to get our grandparents on the lesser known Grandparent ’ s Day in September ? Here in the United States , Grandparent ’ s Day falls on the first Sunday after Labor Day ; this year it is September 11 th . Due to the efforts of two people , Marian McQuade and Jacob Reingold , who , separately , saw a need to appreciate older adults ’ contributions to our country and to the younger generations , the holiday gained national recognition . And in 1978 when Congress passed legislation declaring Grandparent ’ s Day a national holiday and President Jimmy Carter signed a presidential proclamation affirming Congress ’ s decision , according to Generations United , an organization dedicated to encouraging intergenerational connection and collaboration across the nation . While not very well known , Grandparent ’ s day has continued to be an important day for our country to recognize those who have shaped the world in which we live . In the years 2010 , 2011 , 2012 , 2013 , and 2014 , President Obama brought the holiday back to the forefront of the nation ’ s minds by issuing presidential proclamations asking citizens to “ honor those who have helped shape the character of our Nation , and thank these role models for their immeasurable acts of love , care , and understanding .” So , just how can you show your love and appreciation for your grandparents ? Well , most likely , your grandparents don ’ t need or want gifts as they probably already own everything that they could or would ask for . What they most likely want most in the world is just to spend time with you . Consider spending the day with them . Take them out to eat . Drive them to some of their old favorite haunts . Do some of their favorite activities with them , even if it means letting them teach you how to tie the best fishing knot or to crochet a blanket . Do some household chores for them that may be more difficult for them to do now like trimming trees or cleaning out the gutters so they don ’ t have to hire someone to do it for them . Talk to them . Listen to them ; ask them for stories from their youth . If you don ’ t live near your grandparents so the above suggestions are prohibitive , give them a phone call or you can help them set up a video conferencing application , like Skype , and just talk with them for a while . You could also surprise them by hiring someone to come do some cleaning and household maintenance for them . Send them flowers or arrange an in-home spa day to help them feel youthful . If your grandparents have moved on there are many way that you can honor their memories , including volunteering at senior centers and other places where you can connect with others of older generations . On their website , www . grandparentsday . org , Generations United has many suggestions on what you can do to increase your own collaboration across generations . I am going to take a moment now to give a shout out to my own grandparents , Alice and William Knauer and Elvio Mazzaferri and Rita ( and Mac ) Iceman . My summers growing up would have been very boring if it were not for my wonderful and loving grandparents who I would spend several weeks with every summer in Ohio . Sadly , my grandfathers Elvio and William have passed on ( Grandpa Mazzaferri moved on when I was only nine years old , before I began my yearly summer trips up north , and Grandpa Knauer left us during my junior year of high school .) My grandmothers have been integral in my development as a person . I would not be the person I am without them . I love you very much Grandma Iceman and Grandma Knauer . I am so happy that you both were able to see me graduate from high school and college . Hopefully you will both be able to see me take other major steps in my life . Happy Grandparents Day to all grandparents out there ( especially my own wonderful grandparents )!
SEPTEMBER 2016 | WINTER GARDEN MAGAZINE | 5