July 26th is a date fondly marked on our calendar. Grandparents ' Day is much more than a day of celebration: it's an opportunity to pay tribute to those who were a school of life, a refuge, and a source of joy. Houses with crocheted curtains, jugs in the entryway, a metal cabinet in the bathroom, and that siesta-like silence that filled everything without saying a word. Because if there's anyone who has taught us to look at life calmly, to value the simple things, and to enjoy the everyday, it's them.
Why Grandparents' Day is celebrated on July 26
This date coincides with the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, parents of Mary and grandparents of Jesus according to Christian tradition. Over the years, it has become a secular and cherished day, a day to remember with gratitude those who have woven a part of our history with wise hands and generous hearts.
What we learned from them
We inherited much more than genes from our grandparents . We inherited proverbs, recipes, and childhood songs. They taught us that bread shouldn't be thrown away, that siesta time is sacred , and that things well done take time. That a tomato from the garden has a different flavor, and that life, when lived slowly, tastes better.
We learned to prepare a sandwich wrapped in brown paper to take on the hike. To mend a sock, to read slowly, to care for what matters. To use our hands to make, fix, cook, or hug. To enjoy the present, without needing to rush. Each of us, in our own way, instilled in us a way of looking at the world with more calm and more affection.
How to celebrate Grandparents' Day
There's no need to complicate things too much. Sometimes the most beautiful things are also the simplest:
1. Spend time with them
Sit down and chat, listen to their stories, look at photos together, or simply have a leisurely coffee. Sometimes that's all they need: unhurried company.
2. Revive a family tradition
Cooking your favorite recipe, breaking out the deck of cards, or putting on that music you always used to play at home. These are small rituals that make any day even better.
3. Gift with intention
You don't have to spend a lot to make a meaningful gift.
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A handwritten dedication : sometimes, a few sincere words are worth more than anything.
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An aperitif pack : to remember those vermouths shared on the terrace.
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A traditional game : because it's never too late to play again.
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A classic perfume : one of those that smells like Sunday at home and in grandma's arms, you have them for men and women .
And if they are no longer there…
This day can also be a time to stop and remember. To cook that recipe of theirs, pull out photo albums, or simply think of them and smile. To remember how the dishes sounded when you placed them, how their coffee smelled, how they spent hours sitting by the window. Because there are grandparents who are gone, but they are never truly gone. And every time we value what is authentic, what is simple, what is well done... we are celebrating what they taught us.
What it means to be a grandfather or grandmother today
Being a grandparent is no longer synonymous with a cane and a couch. There are grandmothers who go to yoga, grandfathers who bake bread, and others who send WhatsApp audios that are pure wisdom. Some care for grandchildren full-time; others live far away and wait for a call. But all, in their own way, remain a point of support and a living memory.
In a world that rushes by, that rushes by at all hours and leaves little room for waiting, they teach us another way of being. More serene, more patient, more attentive. Children, who live in immediacy and sometimes don't know how to wait even half a second, find in their grandparents a calm that envelops them. A necessary pause. A different perspective that shows them that not everything has to be now, and that good things often come slowly.
A way to say thank you
At Real Fábrica, we believe the best way to celebrate this day is with gratitude. To express our gratitude for their time, their patience, their kindness. And if you decide to give them something, let it be something that speaks to all of that. Of something made with love, of something that is cared for, of something that never expires or goes out of style.
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Real Fábrica is a project born to reclaim what's ours: what's well-made, what has history and soul. We travel across Spain in search of traditional products, those that smell of childhood, of the village, of long after-dinner conversations. You can discover our pieces in the online store , read the stories we tell on the blog , and join our community by subscribing to the newsletter .