This year, Grandparents Day, a day honoring grandparents, will be observed on Sunday, September 12. Grandparents often lavish their grandchildren with love, hugs, and gifts. On Grandparents Day the favor is returned as grandparents receive gratitude for their wisdom, kindness, and nurturing.
During the pandemic our lives have been reshaped in unthinkable ways. Many grandchildren and grandparents were not able to spend much time together or forge a strong caring bound. Grandparents Day is needed for many persons both young and old alike more than ever before. Far too many of us endured unspeakable hardship and loss. However, the pandemic also made us cherish connections more.
Ideas for Celebrating Grandparents Day
- Invite grandchildren to send a handwritten letter or card.
- Have a sleepover with grandparents and grandchildren. Enjoy cooking, playing, and watching favorite TV shows together.
- If grandparents live far away from grandchildren, enjoy time together via phone or by Zoom, WhatsApp, or other video conferencing technology.
- Enjoy the day together by hiking, fishing, playing games, reading a story, or creating a family scrap book.
- Invite children to create original art for the grandparents in their lives.
- Invite children to prepare questions concerning the history of their family to ask their grandparents.
- Enjoy a hobby together.
- For grandparents who have no one to share the day with and older adults who have no grandchildren, encourage children to adopt a grandparent and invite an older person to brunch, lunch, or dinner.
If there are grandparents raising grandchildren in your congregation or community, I encourage you to get a copy of AgeWell Middle Tennessee’s booklet, “Empowering Grandparents: A Guide for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren”. For a free copy, call AgeWell at 615-353-4235.
Grandparents Day is also Golden Cross Sunday. This is an excellent time for individuals and churches to make a financial gift to the Golden Cross Foundation. Money received as an offering for Golden Cross Sunday is used to provide funds and resources for Tennessee Conference churches needing support for their older adult ministries. From now until December 31, 2021, an anonymous donor will match all donations made to the Golden Cross Foundation up to $25,000.