Grandparents Day - What's it all about?

Grandparents Day originated in the United States. It is now officially recognised in a number of countries on various days of the year, either as one holiday or sometimes as a separate Grandmothers Day and Grandfathers Day. In Ireland its National Grandparents Day on 26th September 2010.

Founder Marian McQuid made it her mission to educate the youth about the important contributions seniors have made throughout history and encouraged the youth to 'adopt' a grandparent. What a nice idea. Through contacting government, senators and congressmen relentlessly for three years legislation was passed proclaiming the first National Grandparent Day in 1977 signed by then-President Jimmy Carter.

The purpose of the day is '...to honour grandparents, to give grandparents an opportunity to show love for their children's children, and to help children become aware of strength, information and guidance older people can offer'.

Some people claim the origin of the holiday resides with the efforts of Hermine Beckett Hanna (NY), recognizing seniors and their importance as early as 1961. There is now an official song 'A Song for Grandma ans Grandpa' by Johnny Phil and the official flower is the 'forget-me-not'

This day may not be as well recognised in Ireland, in fact many people don't know about it. Why not surprise your grandparents or your children's grandparents this week. If you don't have Grandparents why not 'adopt' and treat them instead. There are plenty of excellent gifts idea's on www.giftsandvouchers.ie

Comments Welcome :)
Orlagh

House and Homes

We are delighted to have been featured this month in the well known Irish Magazine House and Homes. The wonderful Lorna Sixsmith featured us in her Little Black Book as one of her top shops for online shopping. She listed some other fabulous online businesses as well such as Mabel and Violet, The Blue Door and of course Garrenderry Lane Interiors. This magazine is in shops now.

Thanks a million Lorna!!

Local Hero

I would think the greatest Mothers Day Gift for Darren Cawley's Mum would be the call from Beaumont Hospital that I received 15 years ago this May that changed my life calling me for my kidney transplant. Darren was on Ireland AM this morning tirelessly promoting the cause of organ donation again. He is a credit to his family and to everybody who is waiting for an organ transplant.

He has just won the title Local Hero and there has never been a more worthy title for this person. As part of his prize, he won €10,000 which he has donated to the European Transplant and Dialysis Games in Dublin later this year, and at which he hopes to compete.Who despite being on dialysis 4 times a week never stops promoting this cause and spending time educating people on the problems of kidney failure and how important it is to carry an organ donor card. I tip my hat to him and hope that he will soon get that important call that will change his life. There is nobody as deserving.

If you are looking for information on how to get an organ donor card please just contact the Irish Kidney Association at http://www.ika.ie/index.php?option=com_facileforms&Itemid=50

You are definitely a hero Darren,

Sian x

Mothers Day Gifts

With Mother's Day fast approaching I thought I would give you a few ideas for Mothers Day Gifts for the women who deserves special pampering on this day of the year. The noun Mother in the Oxford English Dictionary is defined as "the female parent" and the verb is "to look after kindly and protectively, sometimes excessively so"! As a lot of women will agree to when taking on Irish men!! A lot of people think that Mothers Day is in fact another commercial day created by the likes of Hallmark. But as a Mum my self I think it is a lovely day to sit back and appreciate your Mother, your Family and try and spend time with them. It need not be commercialised and cost a lot of money. It is what you make it. I am lucky to still have my Grandmother alive and with us.

I know a gift in particular I wouldn't mind receiving is a hamper of chocolate! I think there are very few Mums out there that would say no to one of those. Flowers are always a great way to show you care and will brighten up any home. Clodagh McKenna, TV Chef and writer has a fabulous range of aprons and personally signed books which make a fabulous gift. For the Mum who likes to bake we have a fabulous range of cake stands and cupcake stands. I purchased one of these cupcake stands for my sister for Christmas and it makes any party an instant hit and is the talk of the party. I was delighted to be included in a book released by Susan Odev recently which would make a great gift for working Mums. The book is Mum Ultrapreneur and is a fantastic read and is available on Amazon.

I hope these give you some ideas and if not check out Gifts and Vouchers for plenty of more!

Have a great day,

Sian

History of St Valentine's Day

Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day around 498 A.D. The Roman 'lottery' system for romantic pairing was deemed un-Christian and outlawed. Later, during the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds' mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of February — Valentine's Day — should be a day for romance. The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. The greeting, which was written in 1415, is part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England.

In Great Britain, Valentine's Day began to be popularly celebrated around the seventeenth century. By the middle of the eighteenth century, it was common for friends and lovers in all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes. By the end of the century, printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one's feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine's Day greetings. Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s.

Esther Howland was a pioneer in the American valentine manufacturing industry. It was after her graduation from Mount Holyoke College, in 1847, that she received her first English valentine. She then became fascinated with the idea of making similar valentines and imported the necessary paper lace and floral decorations from England. Surprised by the demand for them she recruited friends to assist her, and issued her first advertisement in a Worcester paper, The Daily Spy, on Feb 5th, 1850. The assembly line operation that began in her home eventually led to a thriving business grossing $100,000 annually. According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine's Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.) Approximately 85 percent of all Valentines are purchased by women!! Are they trying to say that men aren't romantic are that ladies are perhaps just a little more organised!!

This Valentines Card is rumoured to be the most expensive card around as it is valued at over £4000 stg and held by the British Postal Museum and dated from 1790. The card is a handcrafted puzzle that unfurls to reveal different poems such as:

“My dear the Heart which you behold,
Will break when you the same unfold,
Even so my heart with lovesick pain,
Sure wounded is and breaks in twain.”


How romantic is that. They certainly do not make them like they used to....

Better start shopping for mine!!
Sian x