Dates
When is Grandparents' Day? Dates by country
Many countries set aside a day for grandparents, though few people outside each one know when it is. It's a good excuse for a card, a call or a present, and less crowded than Christmas.
| Country | Next date | The rule |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore | Sunday 22 November 2026 | Grandparents' Day: the fourth Sunday of November |
| Poland | Thursday 21 January 2027 | Grandmother's Day: 21 January, with Grandfather's Day the day after |
| France | Sunday 7 March 2027 | Grandmother's Day: the first Sunday of March |
| Portugal | Monday 26 July 2027 | Grandparents' Day: 26 July |
| Spain | Monday 26 July 2027 | Grandparents' Day: 26 July |
| Mexico | Saturday 28 August 2027 | Grandparents' Day: 28 August |
| Canada | Sunday 12 September 2027 | Grandparents' Day: the second Sunday of September |
| United States | Sunday 12 September 2027 | Grandparents Day: the first Sunday after Labor Day |
| Japan | Monday 20 September 2027 | Respect for the Aged Day: the third Monday of September |
| Italy | Saturday 2 October 2027 | Festa dei Nonni: 2 October |
| United Kingdom | Sunday 3 October 2027 | Grandparents' Day: the first Sunday of October |
A few worth knowing
- Poland has two: Grandmother's Day on 21 January and Grandfather's Day on 22 January. Children make cards and schools hold performances.
- Italy's Festa dei Nonni is 2 October, the feast of the Guardian Angels.
- France celebrates grandmothers on the first Sunday of March.
- Spain and Portugal keep 26 July, the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus in Christian tradition.
- Mexico marks Día del Abuelo on 28 August.
- Japan's Respect for the Aged Day, the third Monday of September, is a public holiday.
- The United States made National Grandparents Day official in 1978. It's the first Sunday after Labor Day.
No official day where you are?
Then choose one. A grandparent's birthday, or the first Sunday of October, or the day the family is next together. The point is a date in the calendar that makes you do it.
What to give
Something from the grandchildren. A drawing, a phone call they lead, or a book of photos with a page from each of them.
Start a book three weeks before the date. Two weeks for the family, one for the post.