National Grandparents' Day
Encyclopedia
National Grandparents Day is a secular holiday celebrated in the United States
since 1978 and officially recognized in a number of countries on various days of the year, either as one holiday or sometimes as a separate Grandmothers Day and Grandfathers Day (see below for dates by country).
of Oak Hill, West Virginia
, has been recognized nationally by the United States Senate
– in particular by Senators Jennings Randolph; and Robert Byrd – and by President Jimmy Carter
, as the founder of National Grandparents Day. McQuade made it her goal to educate the youth in the community about the important contributions seniors have made throughout history. She also urged the youth to "adopt" a grandparent, not just for one day a year, but rather for a lifetime.
In 1973, Senator Jennings Randolph
(D
-WV
) introduced a resolution
to the Senate to make Grandparents Day a national holiday
. West Virginia's Governor Arch Moore had proclaimed an annual Grandparents Day for the state, at the urging of Marian McQuade. When Senator Randolph's resolution in the U.S. Senate died in committee, Marian McQuade organized supporters and began contacting governors, senators, and congressmen in all fifty states. She urged each state to proclaim their own Grandparents Day. Within three years, she had received Grandparents Day proclamations from forty-three states. She sent copies of the proclamations to Senator Randolph.
In February, 1977, Senator Randolph, with the concurrence of many other senators, introduced a Joint Resolution to the Senate requesting the President to "issue annually a proclamation designating the first Sunday of September after Labor Day of each year as 'National Grandparents Day'." Congress
passed the legislation proclaiming the first Sunday after Labor Day
as National Grandparents Day and, on August 3, 1978, then-President Jimmy Carter signed the proclamation
. 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".
Some people claim the origin of the holiday resides with the efforts of Hermine Beckett Hanna of North Syracuse, New York
, recognizing seniors and their importance as early as 1961. On February 21, 1990, New York Congressman James T. Walsh
recognized the efforts of Hermine Beckett Hanna in front of the U.S. House of Representatives
, thanking her "for her important role in the establishment of Grandparents Day".
by Johnny Prill
would be the official song of the U.S. National Grandparents Day holiday.
The National Grandparents Day Council presented Prill with the National Songwriter's Award in recognition of his highly popular composition "A Song for Grandma and Grandpa."
The Council announced Prill's award early in order that schools, churches and other groups who wish to perform his song for Grandparents Day will have time to acquire and rehearse the song. The song was chosen because "Grandparents Day gives grandchildren across the nation the opportunity to show love and appreciation for their grandparents. Johnny Prill's A Song for Grandma and Grandpa is exemplary of such appreciation."
Former President Jimmy Carter
, who signed a proclamation in 1978 making Grandparents Day a national holiday
, sent Prill an autographed photo stating, “Best wishes to Johnny.”
United States Senator Debbie Stabenow
told Prill: "It is wonderful that 'A Song for Grandma and Grandpa' was chosen as the official song of National Grandparents Day. What a special tribute to your talent as a songwriter. You have put into words the unique relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren."
American folk singer Pete Seeger
stated, "Here's to Johnny Prill and his song for National Grandparents Day. May his song spread around the world and be translated into many languages!"
which blooms in the spring. As a result, seasonal flowers are given in appreciation to grandparents on this day.
by Mr. Sarkis Assadourian
read:
.
, Grandmothers Day began in 1987 and is celebrated on the first Sunday in March.
, Grandparents Day was established in 2005 and is celebrated on October 2, Guardian Angels'
Day in Roman Catholic Church
.
, Grandmother's Day was created in 1964 by the "Kobieta i Życie" magazine, and popularized from 1965 onwards. It is celebrated on January 21. Grandfather's Day is celebrated a day later, on January 22.
. It has been celebrated on the first Sunday in October since 2008, although it is not widely advertised and hasn't been as commercially successful as Mothers and Fathers Day. Businesses specialising in gifts and greeting cards have started merging the respective grandparents days with Mothers Day and Fathers Day to try to boost sales.
, in September. In 2010, it falls on September 12, and in 2011 on September 11 (also the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorism attacks).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
since 1978 and officially recognized in a number of countries on various days of the year, either as one holiday or sometimes as a separate Grandmothers Day and Grandfathers Day (see below for dates by country).
History
Marian McQuadeMarian McQuade
Marian McQuade was the founder of National Grandparents Day. She served on the West Virginia Commission on Aging and the Nursing Home Licensing Board. For many years, she helped with the Past 80 Party, which was held annually in Richwood, WV...
of Oak Hill, West Virginia
Oak Hill, West Virginia
Oak Hill is a city in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States and is the primary city within the Oak Hill, WV Micropolitan Statistical Area. The micropolitan area is also included in the Beckley-Oak Hill, WV Combined Statistical Area. The population was 7,589 at the 2000 census...
, has been recognized nationally by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
– in particular by Senators Jennings Randolph; and Robert Byrd – and by President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
, as the founder of National Grandparents Day. McQuade made it her goal to educate the youth in the community about the important contributions seniors have made throughout history. She also urged the youth to "adopt" a grandparent, not just for one day a year, but rather for a lifetime.
In 1973, Senator Jennings Randolph
Jennings Randolph
Jennings Randolph was an American politician from West Virginia. He was a member of the Democratic Party and was the last surviving member of the United States Congress to have served during the first 100 days of Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration.-Early life and career:Randolph was born in...
(D
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
-WV
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
) introduced a resolution
Resolution (law)
A resolution is a written motion adopted by a deliberative body. The substance of the resolution can be anything that can normally be proposed as a motion. For long or important motions, though, it is often better to have them written out so that discussion is easier or so that it can be...
to the Senate to make Grandparents Day a national holiday
Public holidays of the United States
The United States does not have national holidays in the sense of days on which all employees in the U.S. receive a day free from work and all business is halted. The U.S. federal government can only recognize national holidays that pertain to its own employees; it is at the discretion of each...
. West Virginia's Governor Arch Moore had proclaimed an annual Grandparents Day for the state, at the urging of Marian McQuade. When Senator Randolph's resolution in the U.S. Senate died in committee, Marian McQuade organized supporters and began contacting governors, senators, and congressmen in all fifty states. She urged each state to proclaim their own Grandparents Day. Within three years, she had received Grandparents Day proclamations from forty-three states. She sent copies of the proclamations to Senator Randolph.
In February, 1977, Senator Randolph, with the concurrence of many other senators, introduced a Joint Resolution to the Senate requesting the President to "issue annually a proclamation designating the first Sunday of September after Labor Day of each year as 'National Grandparents Day'." Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
passed the legislation proclaiming the first Sunday after Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
as National Grandparents Day and, on August 3, 1978, then-President Jimmy Carter signed the proclamation
Proclamation
A proclamation is an official declaration.-England and Wales:In English law, a proclamation is a formal announcement , made under the great seal, of some matter which the King in Council or Queen in Council desires to make known to his or her subjects: e.g., the declaration of war, or state of...
. 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".
Some people claim the origin of the holiday resides with the efforts of Hermine Beckett Hanna of North Syracuse, New York
North Syracuse, New York
North Syracuse is a village in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 6,863 at the 2000 census.The Village of North Syracuse is partly in the Town of Cicero, but is primarily within the Town of Clay. North Syracuse is north of the City of Syracuse.- History :The village was...
, recognizing seniors and their importance as early as 1961. On February 21, 1990, New York Congressman James T. Walsh
James T. Walsh
James Thomas "Jim" Walsh is an American Republican politician from Syracuse, New York. In 2009, he retired after representing a portion of Central New York, that is now known as the state's 25th Congressional District, in the United States House of Representatives for twenty years.-Early...
recognized the efforts of Hermine Beckett Hanna in front of the U.S. House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, thanking her "for her important role in the establishment of Grandparents Day".
Official song of U.S. Grandparents Day
In 2004, the National Grandparents Day Council of Chula Vista, CA announced that A Song for Grandma and GrandpaA Song for Grandma and Grandpa
"A Song for Grandma and Grandpa" is a song written and recorded by singer-songwriter Johnny Prill.Lyrics:Chorus:Oh Grandma, Grandpa, you know that I love youI love all those little things that you say and do...
by Johnny Prill
Johnny Prill
Johnny Prill is a singer-songwriter, accordionist, record producer, publisher, and the author of “A Song for Grandma and Grandpa,” the official song of the U.S. National Grandparents Day holiday.-Early years:...
would be the official song of the U.S. National Grandparents Day holiday.
The National Grandparents Day Council presented Prill with the National Songwriter's Award in recognition of his highly popular composition "A Song for Grandma and Grandpa."
The Council announced Prill's award early in order that schools, churches and other groups who wish to perform his song for Grandparents Day will have time to acquire and rehearse the song. The song was chosen because "Grandparents Day gives grandchildren across the nation the opportunity to show love and appreciation for their grandparents. Johnny Prill's A Song for Grandma and Grandpa is exemplary of such appreciation."
Former President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
, who signed a proclamation in 1978 making Grandparents Day a national holiday
Holiday
A Holiday is a day designated as having special significance for which individuals, a government, or a religious group have deemed that observance is warranted. It is generally an official or unofficial observance of religious, national, or cultural significance, often accompanied by celebrations...
, sent Prill an autographed photo stating, “Best wishes to Johnny.”
United States Senator Debbie Stabenow
Debbie Stabenow
Deborah Ann Greer "Debbie" Stabenow is the junior United States Senator from Michigan and a member of the Democratic Party. Before her election to the U.S. Senate, she was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Michigan's 8th congressional district from 1997 to 2001...
told Prill: "It is wonderful that 'A Song for Grandma and Grandpa' was chosen as the official song of National Grandparents Day. What a special tribute to your talent as a songwriter. You have put into words the unique relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren."
American folk singer Pete Seeger
Pete Seeger
Peter "Pete" Seeger is an American folk singer and was an iconic figure in the mid-twentieth century American folk music revival. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, he also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of The Weavers, most notably their recording of Lead...
stated, "Here's to Johnny Prill and his song for National Grandparents Day. May his song spread around the world and be translated into many languages!"
Official flower of U.S. Grandparents Day
The official flower of the U.S. National Grandparents Day is the forget-me-notForget-me-not
Myosotis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Boraginaceae that are commonly called Forget-me-nots. Its common name was calqued from the French, "ne m'oubliez pas" and first used in English in c. 1532. Similar names and variations are found in many languages.-Description:There are...
which blooms in the spring. As a result, seasonal flowers are given in appreciation to grandparents on this day.
Grandparents Day[s] around the world
Australia
Queensland was the first Australian state to officially celebrate Grandparents' Day - on the first Sunday in November, 2010. A range of community events took place in schools and at sporting events around the state.Canada
National Grandparents Day began in Canada in 1995. Motion Number 273 submitted in the House of CommonsCanadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
by Mr. Sarkis Assadourian
Sarkis Assadourian
Sarkis Assadourian is an Armenian-Canadian politician from the Liberal Party of Canada. He became the first Armenian-Canadian to be elected to the House of Commons, with great support of the Armenian community of Toronto.Assadourian has grown distant to some in the Armenian-Canadian community by...
read:
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.
Estonia
Grandparents Day (vanavanemate päev) is celebrated, beginning in 2010, on the second Sunday in September..
France
In FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Grandmothers Day began in 1987 and is celebrated on the first Sunday in March.
Italy
In ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Grandparents Day was established in 2005 and is celebrated on October 2, Guardian Angels'
Guardian angel
A guardian angel is an angel assigned to protect and guide a particular person or group. Belief in guardian angels can be traced throughout all antiquity...
Day in Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
.
Poland
In PolandPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Grandmother's Day was created in 1964 by the "Kobieta i Życie" magazine, and popularized from 1965 onwards. It is celebrated on January 21. Grandfather's Day is celebrated a day later, on January 22.
United Kingdom
The celebration was introduced to the UK in 1990 by the charity Age ConcernAge Concern
Age Concern was the banner title used by a number of charitable organisations specifically concerned with the needs and interests of all older people based chiefly in the four countries of the United Kingdom....
. It has been celebrated on the first Sunday in October since 2008, although it is not widely advertised and hasn't been as commercially successful as Mothers and Fathers Day. Businesses specialising in gifts and greeting cards have started merging the respective grandparents days with Mothers Day and Fathers Day to try to boost sales.
United States
The U.S.'s National Grandparents Day is the first Sunday after Labor DayLabor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
, in September. In 2010, it falls on September 12, and in 2011 on September 11 (also the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorism attacks).
External links
- National Grandparents Day Council official page (U.S.)
- Official song of U.S. National Grandparents Day
- U.S. Code , the law establishing the U.S. National Grandparents Day