A grandfather catches up with family over a shared meal. Sicilian Roast
Getting the whole family together can be harder than it sounds. Someone has work, someone has errands, the kids have their own schedules, and before you know it, another Sunday has come and gone.
Grandparents Day, which falls on September 13 this year, is a pretty good excuse to finally get everyone in the same room. It doesn't have to involve a big production, either. Sometimes, the best celebrations are built around a meal, an old family story, or simply giving lolo and lola a little more of your time.
Start with a meal everyone can enjoy
Getting everyone around the same table is probably one of the easiest ways to celebrate. The trick, especially with a bigger family, is finding something that gives everyone enough choices.
Sicilian Roast
Sharing dishes can make that easier. At Sicilian Roast, for instance, families can order pizzas, pastas, and larger dishes for the table, giving everyone a chance to try a little of everything. The Margherita is an easy crowd-pleaser, while the Seared Lasagna offers something richer. There are also steaks that are cut to order and carved at the table.
Instead of spending half the meal negotiating over what everyone should eat, everyone can pick what they want and still share the table.
Give them a little time to relax
Grandparents Day is also a good reminder to check in on their health, especially since the rest of the family may not always get the chance to do it.
Clinica Antipolo Hospital & Wellness Center, Inc. is holding an early Grandparents Day celebration on September 11, with free activities and giveaways for grandparents. The hospital says t
he event is meant to celebrate lolo and lola while encouraging them to take care of their health and well-being.
It can also be as simple as making sure they have a comfortable afternoon. Take them somewhere they enjoy, sit with them over coffee, or give them an afternoon without having to worry about hosting everyone else.
Pick a gift they'll actually use
A Grandparents Day gift doesn't have to be expensive. The better question is whether it feels like something your grandparents would actually use or enjoy.
Handout
Papemelroti's Desk Clock for Grandparents is one option, with a handcrafted design made specifically for lolo and lola. It comes in a gift box and works as a small keepsake they can keep around the house.
You can make an otherwise simple gift more personal, too. Add a handwritten note, an old family photograph, or even a message from the grandchildren.
Let them teach you something
Your grandparents have probably spent years figuring out things you are only beginning to learn.
Maybe lola has a family recipe she makes without measuring anything. Maybe lolo knows a card game you've never learned, how to tend a garden, or some little kitchen trick that somehow always works.
Let them teach you.
It doesn't have to become an official lesson. Sit beside them while they cook, garden, sew, knit, or work on whatever hobby they enjoy. You might learn something useful, but you also get something harder to schedule into a busy family calendar: time together.
Look through old family memories
There is probably a treasure trove of family history sitting somewhere in your grandparents' house, often in the form of old photo albums.
Pull them out and go through the pictures together. Ask about the people you don't recognize. Let your grandparents tell you where a particular photo was taken, what happened that day, or why everyone was dressed that way.
You may hear stories you've already heard a dozen times. You may also discover ones you've never heard before.
And if your family's memories now mostly live on everyone's phones, pick a few favorites to print or turn into a small album. It gives those photographs somewhere more permanent to live than a camera roll.
Don't rush the day
The easiest thing to do on Grandparents Day might be nothing at all.
Stay at the table a little longer after lunch. Have another cup of coffee. Ask lolo and lola how they've been. Let them tell you that same story you've heard before, even if you already know how it ends.
For family members who can't make it home, a video call can still bring everyone together for a few minutes.
Grandparents Day may only come once a year, but there's no reason the family dinner, the phone call, or the afternoon spent listening to lolo and lola has to.