Family Day is a statutory holiday observed in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan on the third Monday of February, and in British Columbia on the second Monday of February. Many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints take not only this opportunity to gather and share activities to strengthen their families but each Monday of the year as well.
In 1915, Church leaders established a program that urges parents to gather their families around them once a week for an evening devoted to family. This evening, known as Family Home Evening, is a time when parents can teach children principles of the gospel. A typical family home evening includes a prayer, a song, a short lesson, an activity and refreshments. Lessons are taught by parents and sometimes by children.
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For Latter-day Saints, Family Day is an extension of this Family Home Evening program because family members have a full day to participate together in a variety of activities, which could include ice-skating on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa, skiing at Blue Mountain in Ontario, walking in the Cypress Mountains of British Columbia or sledding in one’s own neighbourhood.
Family Day is the perfect day to create a family tradition: visiting extended family, especially the elderly; volunteering in a worthy cause; visiting specialty museums or art galleries; working on family history; gathering with other families for rousing games of laser tag or paintball; or sharing a meal followed by a board game tournament.
Church apostle Elder Jeffrey R. Holland gave an address to law students and alumni in 2013 in which he emphasized “the importance of a family-centered society where parents nourish a child’s mind and heart and spirit.” He stated that, in general, “no community of whatever size or definition has enough resources in time, money, or will to make up for what does not happen at home.”
Since family is so important to the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they do their best to create strong bonds between generations and amongst all members of their families.