Grandparents Day: Saluting the people walked before

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Oh Grandma, Grandpa, you know that I love you
I love all those little things that you say and do
The stories you tell, things I never knew
Oh Grandma, Grandpa I love you

September 9, the Grandparents day, a special day for the aged parents who are at the final laps of the life journey. Every year the day falls in September, do you wonder why? It is to symbolize that grandparents are in the autumn years of life September was chosen for this specially for Grandparents Day. Grandparents Day is never earlier than September 7 or later than September 13.

According to an excerpt from the US National Grandparents Day Proclamation: “As we seek to strengthen the enduring values of the family, it is appropriate that we honor our grandparents". Grandparents are the link between the present and the near past. It is through them the national heritage and traditions are handed over to the next generation. It is the experiences and beliefs of our grand parents and senior members in society strongly affect our lives.

Grandparents day is observed to honor and respect grandparents and all senior members in the society. It is an opportunity to thank them for their service to the society and the guidance to the new generation. It is the life experience and struggles of senior members that work as the foundation stone to any society.

What is the Purpose of Grandparents Day?

According to the National Grandparents Day Council, Grandparents Day has a threefold purpose:

• To honor grandparents
• 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

Grandparents Day History
Grandparents day has a history stretched log back to the year 1973. The day really began as Marian McQuade, a Virginian homemaker, began a campaign to establish a special day to honor grandparents. Her enthusiasm soon attracted people from all the social groups and in 1973 Grandparents day was announced official in Virginia. In 1978 by a federal proclamation, US President Jimmy Carter created Grandparents Day and was celebrated for the first time on September 9, 1979.

Grandparents Day Official Flower
Isn't it bewildering to know that a special flower is allotted for this particular day. The 'Forget-me-not' flower is the official flower of grandparents day. It is irrational to ask that why this particular flower is dedicated for Grandparents day, as the name of the flower it self is self-explanatory. As the name of the flower indicates, the memories of our grandparents are not be faded down as time passes. The flames of gratitude towards the senior people in the society should be blazing in our minds. The choice of the forget-me-not as the Grandfathers Day flower serves not only as encouragement to create lasting memories by nurturing relationships between the generations, but also as a poignant reminder that the time to pursue those relationships is limited.

Official Grandparents Day Song
“A Song for Grandma and Grandpa," by Johnny Prill, is the official song of National Grandparents Day. U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow said about the Grandparents day song that "You have put into words the unique relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren."

Ways to celebrate Grandparents Day
Grandparents day is mainly a family celebration. There are several ways to celebrate this day and make it an unforgettable occasion for your grandparents and senior people. Grandparents day is also celebrated in public forums through honoring senior people. The most common way of grandparents day celebration is family gatherings. You can go beyond your imagination and creativity to make this day special for each one in your family. Make a plan for the entire day right from the morning breakfast to lunch to dinner. Prepare their favorite food items. Arranging games that are easily played by young and old, creating an opportunity for story telling in which you can listen to your grandparents life experiences and past incidents, or planning an outdoor cooking etc... can be done effectively on Grandparents day to spice up the mood of celebration.