How to Celebrate Grandparents Day

Do you have a favorite story about how your grandparents influenced your life?

Maybe it was getting to help Nana bake her famous cherry pie each summer. Or setting out your vintage train set around the Christmas tree with Grandpa. Perhaps you learned to play bridge alongside your grandparents’ best friends during their weekly card club.

Your family may have even passed down these traditions to your children or grandchildren.

The perfect time to reflect on these memories — and make new ones! — is Sunday, Sept. 10, which is Grandparents Day. The U.S. first recognized this national holiday in 1978, and it’s since been celebrated on the first Sunday after Labor Day each year.

To help you deepen the intergenerational bonds in your family, we’ve compiled a few ideas for how you can celebrate Grandparents Day this year:

• Break out the crafts. An arts and crafts station is the perfect venue for sharing quality time. Decorate scrapbook pages or create a photo collage as a family project or pick up a new coloring book for younger children. Framing the final creation and hanging it on the fridge can be a great reminder of their special day.
  
  
• Ask questions. Grandparents Day is an excellent opportunity to learn about your family’s roots. Let the grandkids interview their grandparents. What toys or games were their favorites while growing up? Do they remember the first time they watched TV? What do they recall about the day Mom was born?
  
  
• Share a meal. We often bond most strongly while breaking bread. Spend the afternoon cooking dinner together or go out to a restaurant as a family for a stress-free meal.
  
  
• Host a game night. Time is the most valuable gift, so plan a family game night or do puzzles together. If the grandparents have a special hobby (e.g., fishing), schedule a time for them to share what they love with their grandchildren.

How do you plan to celebrate Grandparents Day with your loved ones this year?