Grandparents' Day in 2024 will be celebrated for the fifteenth time. This holiday has no official status, but its good traditions have already appeared. It is celebrated not only in families, but also at the state level. The role of the older generation in families is invaluable - parents help grown children, take care of their grandchildren in a difficult situation, help to cope with the hardships of life.
When Grandparents' Day is celebrated
Warm words to older family members should preferably be spoken daily, but there is also a special date - October 28th. In 2024, on Monday, the heroes of the occasion will accept congratulations from all relatives and friends, and - most importantly - from grandchildren.
This month, October 1st, Tuesday, is International Day of Older Persons. It has a different goal - to draw attention to such problems of the older generation as loneliness and social insecurity.
History of the formation of the holiday
The flower bureau of the Netherlands proposed to celebrate such a day in 2009. In the first year, the event looked like an advertising company - they formed nominal bouquets, congratulated older family members, filmed television programs. Despite the fact that the purpose of the event was to increase falling incomes - flowers are rarely bought in autumn - the initiative was taken up not only by we althy entrepreneurs, but also by ordinary people.
The Russians liked the idea. For a warm family holiday, they even allocated a fixed date. The choice is not accidental, at the end of October the Slavs of Ancient Rus' celebrated the festival "Autumn Grandfathers" , the purpose of which is to unite the family.All generations gathered for a feast, remembered all relatives, thanked for their help and support. Pagan rites have long been forgotten, but the traditions of honoring the elderly have been preserved.
If the parents of dad or mom are alive, grandchildren are never abandoned. Grandfathers become an example of male behavior, grandmothers instill the necessary skills in girls.
You can also congratulate your relatives separately on Grandfather's Day - January 22, and on Grandmother's Day - March 5.
Traditions and gifts
The holidays of the elderly are celebrated on different dates, but they have similar traditions. These are family feasts with photo viewing, gift giving, joint walks. Most often, flowers are given in pots - these are the options for presents in 2009 that were offered by the initiators of the significant day, the Dutch flower companies.
Some shops and pharmacies of the Russian Federation hold special promotions on November 28, providing discounts for purchases.
Organize across the country:
- charity concerts and fairs;
- invite grandparents to tea parties;
- provide free public transport.
Money earned during charity events is transferred to nursing homes where lonely old people live.
Kindergartens hold special classes and tell how important it is to please your loved ones. Kids, together with teachers, prepare gifts - postcards and applications.
Teenage grandchildren can make collages - pick up interesting photos, bake their favorite pies or cookies, help with cleaning. Those who are older are already presenting "full" gifts - slippers, paired dressing gowns, household items or utensils for summer cottages.
The first dance flash mob under the telling title "Give a flower" was held in 2015 in Moscow.
When older people are honored in different countries
In 1970, in the United States, Marian McQuaid, who lives in West Virginia, became the initiator of the company to establish the holiday. In this way, she hoped to draw attention to the problem faced by the elderly of this country - isolation. And in 1978, President D. Carter "gave" the second Sunday of September to the event. In the United States, on this day, it is customary to visit elderly relatives and give them flowers - in bouquets or pots. Canada and Estonia joined the same date.
In Poland, the holidays were divided by numbers - grandmothers are congratulated on January 21, grandfathers - on January 22. In South Africa, Pakistan, Hong Kong and South Sudan, Grandparents' Day is celebrated twice - on the second and last Sunday of October, and in Italy - on the first, in several states of Australia - also the last.
Interesting facts
Every person has their own memories of grandparents. What they told, where they went together in childhood, what they taught and how many years they live together. Many interesting things are connected with the holiday, during which the older generation is congratulated:
- The loudest flash mob in the XXI century. spent who have a page on the Instagram network. They exhibited touching photos of their loved ones.
- In October, older people are congratulated in 30 countries around the world.
- The youngest "elders of the family" : Briton Shem Davis, 29 years old - his 14-year-old daughter gave him a granddaughter, and Rifka Stanescu from Romania - she was 23 years old when she had to raise her granddaughter.
- There is a grandfather who had 193 grandchildren in 2018.
- In Japan, they found a couple who lived together for 80 years. Their names are Masao and Miyako Matsumoto. Correspondents centenarians told that they never offended each other and always supported.
Interestingly, in the Land of the Rising Sun, the holiday is associated with the tradition of not giving gifts and store discounts, but an "open door" day in clinics where older people can get free examinations.
The holiday is relatively young. It is better to mark it on the calendar in advance. On Grandparents' Day, congratulations from grandchildren are most valuable.
