by Carol Flett

Created on: September 06, 2010   Last Updated: September 08, 2010

Grandparents day has grown from a spark of inspiration in the heart of a dedicated grandmother, to a day recognized internationally and celebrated, not with the trappings of commercialization, but rather, as befits grandparents, in small, creative, and thoughtful ways.

It was 1970 when Marian McQuade, mother of fifteen children, grandmother of forty three, and great-grandmother of ten, started campaigning for a special day for grandparents. By 1973 Grandparents Day became official in the USA, and by 1999 it was adopted in Canada. The day was to be the first Sunday after Labor day, or, in Canada, the second Sunday of September, signifying the autumn days of life.

Grandparents Day was meant to be more than a day to honor grandparents with gifts and flowers. Mrs. McQuade envisioned something far more meaningful. She worked to create a special day when grandparents and grandchildren would get together, and show their love for each other. She wanted grandchildren to see the wealth of knowledge and experience grandparents had to offer, and she want grandparents to have the opportunity to share that knowledge. She wanted Grandparents day to be a day of connecting.

There are many creative ways of celebrating Grandparents Day, but they should all involve some form of connecting together. If it is possible to visit one another in person, that is the ideal choice. Arrange to share a favorite meal together, drawing from heirloom recipes that have been passed down from one generation to the next.

That recipe of grandmother's, that the whole family loves, should definitely be used for this day, and don't forget the fancy lace tablecloth, and some of those fall flowers fresh from the garden. Try to think of other Grandma and Grandpa specials that are part of your family traditions and include as many as possible.

Don't banish Grandma from the kitchen after the meal unless she needs or wants the rest, but make sure all the daughters and granddaughters chip in and help. (Remember, Grandparents Day is all about togetherness.) Clean up time can be a valuable Grandma, daughter, and granddaughter time, while grandpa, sons and grandsons share all the men stuff in the living room.

When the dishes are done do something fun. Was there a parlour game that grandma or grandpa played when they were young? Could it be played together for Grandparents Day? Is music part of the family tradition? How about unearthing some of the songs from the past. If the grandchildren don't know the songs,

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