What is Grandparents' Day? The UK date, where it came from and what to send

Grandparents' Day in the UK falls on the first Sunday in October. It is not a bank holiday and there is no fixed set of traditions attached to it, which is exactly why most families mark it with something small: a card, a phone call, a Sunday lunch, or the grandchildren being marched round for an hour.

It is easy to confuse with the American version, which is held on the first Sunday after Labor Day in September, so if you have family in the States the dates will not line up. In the UK the day is largely driven by schools, care groups and families rather than shops, and it has grown steadily over the last couple of decades as a quiet thank-you to the people doing a lot of the childcare.

Below is what the day is for, how it started, and the simplest ways to mark it — including what to write if you have never sent a card for it before.

When is Grandparents' Day?

• UK: the first Sunday in October each year, so the date moves annually.
• United States: the first Sunday after Labor Day, which falls in September.
• Other countries mark their own dates, so check before posting internationally.
• Post a UK card by the Wednesday before to be safe with first class.

Where the day came from

• The American version was formally recognised in 1978 after a long campaign to give grandparents their own day.
• The UK version grew later and separately, pushed mainly by family charities, schools and care organisations rather than by law.
• It has never been an official holiday here, which is why it stayed low-key and family-led.
• Most of its momentum now comes from schools running assemblies and invites for grandparents in the autumn term.

Simple ways to mark it

• Send a card — for a lot of grandparents this is the whole point, and it stays on the mantelpiece.
• Get the grandchildren to write or draw inside it, spelling mistakes included.
• Book the Sunday lunch rather than buying a gift; the time is usually what's wanted.
• Print a recent photo of the kids and tuck it into the card.
• Add a candle or small keepsake if it's a milestone year or you missed a birthday.
• Phone the ones you can't visit, and post the card so it lands the day before.

What to write in a Grandparents' Day card

• Happy Grandparents' Day, Nan. Still the best cook, the best gossip and the best hug going.
• Thanks for the lifts, the lectures and the loose change. Happy Grandparents' Day, Grandad.
• You spoil them, wind them up and hand them back. Genius. Happy Grandparents' Day.
• Half of who I am came from your kitchen table. Thank you for all of it.
• Happy Grandparents' Day from all of us — we'd be lost without you.

Shop all Grandparents' Day cards

Cards for nan and grandma

Warm and funny in equal measure.

Cards for grandad

For the granddads who never ask for anything.

How to write it so it lands

• Let the grandchildren sign it themselves — that's the bit that gets kept.
• Mention something specific from this year rather than a general thank you.
• Post by the Wednesday before the first Sunday in October.

Where to shop next

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• All guides

Frequently asked questions

When is Grandparents' Day in the UK?

The first Sunday in October each year, so the date changes annually. It is not a public holiday.

Is UK Grandparents' Day the same day as the American one?

No. The US marks it on the first Sunday after Labor Day in September, several weeks earlier than the UK date.

Do you send cards on Grandparents' Day?

A card is the most common way to mark it in the UK, often written or decorated by the grandchildren, with a visit or a phone call alongside it.

What do you buy for Grandparents' Day?

Most people keep it small: a card, a photo of the grandchildren, a candle or a Sunday lunch together. It is not a big gifting occasion here.