National Grandparent’s Day is coming up this Sunday, September 8th. Each year, about four million greeting cards and forget-me-nots are sent out for this national holiday. This day is an opportunity for other to let their grandparents know that they appreciate all that they do for them. If you live near them, make sure you go out of your way and visit to show your love for your grandparents!
National Grandparent’s Day has more than one background story. Some people believe that this holiday was first proposed by Michael Goldgar in the 1970s after visiting his aunt in a nursing home. Others believe Marian Lucille Herndon McQuade started this holiday because of all the money and time she put in to helping senior citizens.
No matter who started it, National Grandparent’s Day was signed into law by President Jimmy Carter in 1978. A presidential proclamation on September 6, 1979, made this day official. Grandparent’s Day happens on the first Sunday after Labor Day each year. And each year the president is requested to issue a proclamation to designate this day as a national holiday.
To get you ready for this holiday, below are several facts about your grandparents that you might not have known:
Fact #1: Grandparents represent one-third of the population with 1.7 million new grandparents added every year.
Fact #2: Grandparents love being grandparents! 72% think that being a grandparent is te most important thing they will ever do in their lifetime.
Fact #3: Grandparents are younger than they have been before: 43% became grandparents in their fifties, 37% in their forties, and the average age of a grandparent is 48.
Fact #4: 43% of grandparents exercise and play sports and 28% volunteer on a regular basis.
Fact #5: Grandparents are wired! 75% of grandparents are online and 45% of those are on social networks.
Fact #6: 60% of grandparents are still working either part-time or full-time.
Fact #7: Grandparents control 75% of the wealth in this country.
Fact #8: Grandparents just want to have fun! They spend about $100 billion each year on entertainment and $77 billion each year on travel.
Fact #9: Grandparents love spending time with their grandchildren. 60% live close to their grandkids so they can watch them grow up!
Fact #10: 66% of grandparents have never celebrated grandparent’s day. Let’s change that this year!!
I hope these statistics have been intriguing for you! Please go out and thank your grandparents for all they have done for you. Make sure they know how much you love them! On behalf of Senior Living Advisors, we want to thank grandparents all over the world for their importance in our lives and our society.
Happy Grandparent’s Day!