This Grandparents Day, Celebrate the Love That Skips a Generation
Grandparents’ stories, rituals, and lessons connect generations and last a lifetime.
Aug 31, 2025
Written by our Founder and Chairman, the Celebrations Pulse letters aim to engage with our community. By welcoming your ideas and sharing your stories, we want to help you strengthen your relationships with the most important people in your life.
Not so long ago, it was common for multiple generations to live in the same neighborhood or even under the same roof. Grandparents weren’t occasional visitors; they were part of the daily rhythm, helping raise kids, cook meals, and share their stories around the dinner table.
Today, that kind of closeness is harder to come by. As careers take families across the country or around the world, it’s not unusual for grandparents and grandchildren to be separated by hundreds of miles or more. Video calls help, but they can’t replace small everyday moments.
I often think about what’s lost when the extended family becomes overextended. It’s the small rituals and spontaneous conversations where love is felt, wisdom is shared, and the next generation learns what matters most.
With Grandparents Day coming up next Sunday, I’ve been thinking about my own grandmas and grandpas. Though they’ve been gone for years, their wisdom, love, and example still guide me. If you’re lucky enough to still have grandparents in your life, I hope you’ll use the occasion to bring them a little closer while there’s still time.
What my grandparents taught me
My wife Marylou and I are lucky to live near our seven grandkids and be part of their lives. I was fortunate to grow up that way, too. My grandparents weren’t strangers I only saw on holidays. They were part of our day-to-day life.
One of my fondest memories goes back to early morning fishing trips with Grandpa Charlie, my grandmother’s second husband and a man who never met a fish he didn’t want to catch. We’d head out on the Captain Rod, a charter boat that launched from Captree Fishing Station on the east end of Long Island’s Jones Beach. Sometimes we caught fish, but the real catch was the ritual of doing something together.
What really made those mornings special were the bacon-and-egg sandwiches served hot on toasted English muffins, wrapped in foil, and tucked into our bags like precious cargo. To this day, that combo still brings me back. In fact, I had one last week!
My Grandma McCann opened my eyes in a different way. She’d take me into The City, a.k.a. Manhattan, riding the bus and hopping on the E train like seasoned commuters. Our adventures included stops at museums, big department stores, and, best of all, a sit-down meal at Tad’s Steaks. (Tad’s sadly closed in 2020.) I still remember those $5 steaks sizzling on metal trays.
These trips felt like big adventures. Looking back, I realize how much those moments expanded my view of life and helped prepare me for the world beyond my neighborhood.
Now it’s our turn. Marylou and I are on a mission to make sure our grandkids remember us through the stories we tell and the time we spend together. It’s a gift to have a ringside seat to their lives as they grow. We're blessed our three kids are all wonderful parents!
The finger wag that made a difference
But it wasn’t just outings and treats. My grandmother also taught me about integrity. Years ago, when I was still building 1-800-Flowers, the business hit a rough patch. I sat at my parents’ kitchen table (which also served as my dad’s office) and considered bankruptcy.
When I shared this with my grandmother, she gave me a classic Irish finger wag and said firmly, “We don’t do that.” There was no further debate or explanation, just clarity and conviction.
Her words and belief in doing the right thing stuck with me, and I still think of her finger wag when I need to make hard decisions, often in the moments when no one’s watching.
(All this reminiscing reminds me of a funny birthday coincidence. Every year around my birthday in late July, both of my grandmothers would send me a card. And, somehow, without fail, they always picked the exact same one even though they bought them without any coordination!)
Grandparents get better with age
While today’s grandparents may not live as close as they once did, they do have something earlier generations rarely enjoyed: more time. When I was growing up, 60 felt old. Now, it feels like the start of something new. Thanks to healthier living and improved medical care, many grandparents are staying active and involved well into their 70s, 80s, and beyond.
That gift of time can mean more memories and more chances to show up for the people we love. This week, I’ve shared a few memories of my own grandparents and the impact they had on my life. Next Sunday, for Grandparents Day, I’ll be sharing some of the stories that came in from you. There’s still time to share a story. Email me at celebrationspulse@1800flowers.com.
As Grandparents Day approaches, let’s honor the past, celebrate the present, and do our part to keep those bonds strong well into the future.
All the best,
Jim
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AUTHOR
Jim McCann is the founder and chairman of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. as well as a business leader, author, and philanthropist with a passion for helping people deliver smiles. Devoted to helping others, he also founded Smile Farms, a 501(c)3 organization that provides meaningful jobs in agricultural settings to young adults and adults with developmental disabilities.
