Grandparents Day has been celebrated in Canada since 1995 on the first Sunday after Labour Day. Originating in the U.S. in the 1970s, the idea was to recognize the important contributions made by senior citizens. This year, why not show how much you care by planning a special celebration for grandma and grandpa on September 12. These great ideas will help you plan a grand day, with tips for every budget.

• Create a memory book. Buy a beautiful book or album and fill it with photos, cards, letters, newspaper clippings, and tales featuring the entire family. Spend time with your grandparents to learn more about their stories and memories, and continue to add to this commemorative book.  Wal-Mart Chapter’s and Indigo have a huge selection of beautiful albums to house your collection.

• Share their hobbies. Does grandma enjoy baking, painting or playing cards? Is grandpa a fisherman, golfer or car enthusiast? Plan to share their hobbies with them on Grandparents Day—the best part will be the time you spend together!  Check out Flyerland.ca for coupons or special deals on the activities they love.

• Picture the memories. Go through old photo albums to find favourite family photos and scan them. If a photo is damaged, you can use a photo restoration service to repair and restore family heirlooms—visit Flyerland.ca and try the service offered by Black’s Photography. Once the photos are digitized upload them to a digital photo frame (available at Best Buy or Future Shop) or make a beautiful print as a special gift.

• Tackle the “to do” list. Help your grandparents out with the tasks they need done around the house or yard—from small repairs to preparing the garden for fall or technical help setting up the computer or DVD player. Whatever the chore, they’re sure to appreciate a helping hand!

• Grow your family tree. Take the time to sit down with your grandparents to help fill in the blanks, and enjoy stories from days gone by.

• Give homemade gifts. Cards and gifts the kids have made with their own hands and give from the heart is a thoughtful way to honour grandparents on their special day. Michael’s has all the supplies you’ll need at great prices—see their flyer on Flyerland.ca.

• Visit a retirement home. When the kids are making cards and gifts, create a few extras then visit a local retirement home and share them with the residents. This is sure to bring smiles to the faces of those grandparents whose families are far away.

By Debbie Frye, General Manager, Flyerland.ca