When is Grandparents Day 2023? Everything to know about the holiday
Grandparents Day is nearly here so be sure to mark your calendar! Designed to honor the special relationships we've built with members of our family in the older generations, the holiday is celebrated on the first Sunday after Labor Day each year.
This year, Grandparents Day falls on September 10, 2023.
When is Grandparents Day?
In 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed a proclamation marking the first Sunday after Labor Day as National Grandparents Day, according to Donna Butts, the executive director of Generations United, an organization that focuses on intergenerational strategies.
“It was a little-known holiday until 2012, when Generations United began spearheading an annual campaign to encourage all generations to ‘Do Something Grand’ and engage with another generation on Grandparents Day,” Butts tells TODAY.com.
Grandparents Day is not technically a federal holiday.
What is Grandparents Day?
Grandparents Day is a time to pause and appreciate the older generations of our families.
"It’s a day when we stop to honor grandparents and grand-friends for their contributions to our families, neighborhoods and communities," Butts says. "It’s also a time to remind people of all ages they can do something grand with another or for another generation. People at all ages and stages of life have value and something valuable to contribute to making our world a better place."
Why do we celebrate Grandparents Day?
The official proclamation of Grandparents Day states that the holiday is used “to honor grandparents, to give grandparents an opportunity to show love for their children’s children, and to help children become aware of the strength, information, and guidance older people can offer.”
How to celebrate Grandparents Day
Butts recommends making the day more than a time to remember to send a card.
"Do something grand with or on behalf of another generation," she said.
This can include a variety of activities, such as:
A community service project
Sharing a meal together
Exploring your neighborhood
"It can also be as easy as posting a picture of yourself with your grandparent, grandchild or grand-friend on social media," Butts says.
National Grandparents Day
Butts tells TODAY.com that Grandparents Day is a good time to reach out to someone of another generation who may feel lonely and make their day a little brighter.
"Doing something grand doesn’t have to be big," she says, "it’s the little things that add up and make a difference in all of our lives."
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
