Family Gatherings

[jayseven]

This weekend I'm going to an anual (annual?) gathering of the cousins on one side of the family. 'Unfortunately' I reecntly got a job which mean I'm not going up for what is effectively the important stuff - saturday hellos/whatever and sunday lunch but I'll still see them on teh sunday when we (my girlfriend and I) arrive.

 

All the others have kids and pretty much have life plans sorted. I am preparing myself for the inevitable "so when are you moving out? When are you having kids! When will you have a serious job?" stuff.

 

There will be awkwardness, but hey, that's family. I don't see them much.

 

Do you guys see your family regularly?

[Ellmeister]

My family aren't very family like.

 

Due to my Dad having an affair and his sister telling the whole family what happened (mainly to piss of my Mummy) only I see that half of the family it seems now. Not so much the Aunt but my two cousins.

 

On the other side we only see the Grandparents because my cousins + Aunt + Uncle are weird so we've never gotten along/ I've never seen them. They used to be in my school and it was always a hostile environment whenever someone saw each other.

 

So I'm missing out on these big family get together occasions which is a shame really because they sound fun, but I do try to keep in touch with my family when I'm free.

[Jimbob]

Don't get many family gatherings myself, well not on my Dad's side of the family. On my Mothers side, always seeing my Aunt and Uncle. Mainly because they live right up the road from me. So no wonder really.

 

Last big gathering we had for both sides of the family, was a funeral on both sides. Not the best occasions to meet, but it was the last time i saw many people. Ain't seen them since to be honest.

[Raining_again]

my family are mostly bible bashing weirdos. Last time I went out my aunt was over... she has just recently been given the all clear from cancer and she basically put it down to her faith... (as opposed to the doctors treating her... lol) and announced, through prayer, that God was her all and the most important thing in her life.... We have a "minister" in our family too, who shouts louder than any living human being on the planet, and has never understood the term "indoor voice".

 

My family unit (mum, dad, sister, me) tend to keep ourselves to ourselves....because sometimes the crazy is a bit much.

 

Most of my family here are on my dads side, my mums side all live in Birmingham so I don't get to see them too much..

[Ashley]

my family are mostly bible bashing weirdos. Last time I went out my aunt was over... she has just recently been given the all clear from cancer and she basically put it down to her faith... (as opposed to the doctors treating her... lol) and announced, through prayer, that God was her all and the most important thing in her life.... We have a "minister" in our family too, who shouts louder than any living human being on the planet, and has never understood the term "indoor voice".

 

You should say you put all your faith in Teh Kitteh God!

 

My family is very much fractured (divorce woo!) so I have my father's side which consists of him, my nan, my uncle and his son. I like them all in that way that comes through biology but family meals with them tend to be a bit more on the boring side. I'm more similar to my uncle/cousin than my own family but not as much of a brownosing momma's boy as my uncle is (which has worked out well, he's now in charge of her finances so I've kissed goodbye to any inheritance). My nan is a HBIC which I like but it makes conversations difficult as she's abrupt.

 

Then there's my mother's side. Which is known as the "side whose company I enjoy". My mother, her partner, my little brother, my nan and granddad and cousins. Also includes Aunt and her latest partner but seeing as she's not strictly related (due to divorce) and she's putting her partner before her kids now we've kind of growing apart.

 

Anyway yeah. It's full of politics, lies and love. Just like any family I suppose. I enjoy gatherings with my mother's side (should probably have one on Tuesday if my nan's better, which I'm looking forward to, if not we're having one next Sunday as its my grandparents 34th wedding anniversary) and I arrange gathering's on my father's side (if I don't he excludes me) and I'm going to one of those later today. At those I tend to flirt with bar staff to amuse myself.

 

Wow long ramble. Oh and then there's Dick. I try and see him only once a year.

[MoogleViper]

My uncle recently came over here (he lives in sweden). As a result I saw my cousin, who is now 7, I last met her when she was a baby. I also met my new cousin, who is 2.

 

I also met a lot of my other family that I haven't seen for years.

 

I see my close family more often. I live with my mum and dad when I'm not at uni. My sister lives only a few miles away so I see her quite regularly, often go over/she comes over to walk the dogs. I see my brother/niece less often, mainly because he lives near Leeds. Probably see them a few times during each holiday (christmas, easter, summer).

[nightwolf]

My immediate family - dad, mum and sister, tended to visit just the grandparents when we were younger, sticking with the step-grandparents and my dad's mum, my birth mothers parents are still hated by my family, including myself, for various reasons and it's far too lengthy to put here, so we don't see them.

 

As for the rest of the family, since my grandma died, it brought everyone closer, so we see my dad's brothers and sisters a lot more, which is great, I've really missed quite a bit of that side of the family and we now go round for dinner and drinks a lot more, I think it put into perspective a lot for my dad's family when they lost grandma (who was an only parent since my dad lost his dad when he was 5.), but it's good, we also see a lot of my birth mum's brother who has a lovely wife, my aunty and her daughter and her granddaughter.

 

It's a big family, but it's nice to go round and we definitely see them at least once a year at christmas.

 

^_^

[EddieColeslaw]

Semi-incomplete entire-family gatherings happen every few years, as all my relatives apart from my immediate family are one third of the way across the world, in both directions. Immediate-family gatherings don't ever happen either, as my parents run their own business - if one is free, the other is automatically busy. This makes me , but I suspect that if I could see my relatives all of the time, it would be less...special? I really miss my grandparents though. I feel like a lousy grandkid.

[Cube]

I grew up with my Mum's side of the family - for about 9 years I didn't see my Dad or anyone from his side of the family. I got back in touch with him a few years ago.

 

Now that I live with my Grandparents (on my Mum's side) in Stockport, I live near my Dad's side of the family. So I see them quite often, along with two of my sisters (who live with my Dad). I also see another brother and sister (who live with their Mum) once a month when they visit our Dad. The strange thing about these four siblings is that they were all born during the period that I didn't see my Dad.

 

I don't see my Mum as often as I'd like now. I still consider her house as home (and her cats as my cats). I have another brother and sister that live with her and my Step Dad. I have another sister - the oldest (apart from me) who also lives in Wales with her son (who I wish I could see more often).

 

And that just covers parents and siblings. While the rest of my Mum's side is fairly simple - my Dad's side of the family is massive. The family is also quite close - so much that some people who are quite distantly related call each other by "simpler" names.

 

For example, my Grandma's sister's daughter's, step daughter's daughter (I think - it's something like that) and her husband simply call my Grandad "Uncle Alan" as they know each other quite well (I also simply call my half-brothers/sisters brothers and sisters). A further strange coincidence is that the husband I mentioned happens to be my boss (the connection was discovered after I worked there).

 

Essentially: My family doesn't really have big "Family Gatherings", but rather just smaller events. Sometimes for occasions (like birthdays) or sometimes for no particular reason.

[Retro_Link]

One side of my family tend to have a family get-together once a year or so, which Me and Eddage both go to. It's not too bad, I mean conversation can be a bit of a struggle at times with family you don't see often, but it's ok.

 

I see Eddage and his family (one set of aunt/uncle/cousins) pretty often, which is great because we get on really well.

 

I have some family in America which I don't get to see very often, though I did last year for a wedding. Conversation is more difficult there because we don't know much about one another, but we get by, we're family, and for some reason I feel quite close to my oldest cousin, despite never seeing her.

 

The other side of my family I never see.

[Serebii]

Really only see my mum's side of the family, but even then, that's never really been frequent. Seen my cousins and uncles on that side a bit more since my nan went in the hospital, but still not much. Used to see my nan every Saturday.

 

My dad's side, that's always been an issue...haven't really seen that side since 2008ish. I have a few cousins from that side on Facebook but never meet up with them. We've never really got on with that side, and when my dad had to do, lets say, questionable things in order to prevent us losing the house and everything when I was young (which he was severely punished for), that side turned on us. My aunt often berates my dad because of it and even went so far as to insult my sister when her now ex-fiancé stole thousands from her because of it.

 

Ironically, her family has always been an issue...her son has like 7 kids from 6 different mothers across the country and they're a bit chavvy...yet they look down on my dad, a highly successful civil engineer and us kids despite the fact we're all intelligent successes.

 

I don't really care if I never see that side of the family again. I mean while the other aunts, uncles and cousins on that side are pretty cool, it's not worth the hassle from the other aunt

[Ten10]

Heh heh, there's a family gathering that I managed to dodge today too. My brother went I said I had things I need to be getting on with. I've managed to dodge family get together's for about 5 years running now.

[Paj!]

My family are very close, I was raised with several aunts and uncles being a huge part of my life, and same with my (2) cousins.

 

Maybe cause my family relatively small it's easier to all stay familial and havegood relationships.

 

I have a very close relationship with my mum and sister too.

 

Don't really have family gatherings as a *thing* since we just have dinner/meet-up as a when. Less now as people have moved for work and stuff, but ya.

[The fish]

I see my granny on my dad's side a lot (she lives just a few minutes away) and my one of my dad's brothers, too. Sadly, he's just split up with his wife in Sweden, and I just feel so sorry for their lovely kids. Other than that, I don't really see any of my family - there's been a massive bust-up on my mum's side, and, well we just don't see them anymore. Not that I really care, to be honest...

[Raining_again]

You should say you put all your faith in Teh Kitteh God!

 

 

[Frank]

I find the majority of you all so foreign. So strange. I am ridiculously close with my family. My cousins are more like brothers and sisters. My aunts and uncles are more like parents. We all meet each other quite regularly. Of course, not the case with all my family. We are a big bunch (18+ aunts and uncles, 40+ cousins, 28 2nd cousins). Still so close. I love them, dearly.

[ReZourceman]

I see my dad about two to three times a year, and we try to arrange an annual meal with him, me, my sister, his cousin and her daughter. And her husband, he is cool. I really love those meals. Unfortunately I don't think we had one this year/last year (I think....hard to keep track of time these days) and so those are great, I hope another happens this year.

 

On my mum's side of the family....I see my grandparents occasionally, and my aunt once in a blue moon, they don't really do get-togethers.

 

Finally....not that it really counts as "family gatherings" but my sister lives in Bristol now. I don't know how often I see her really....as she has only moved there recently. But I'm seeing her in 2 weeks which will be nice as her boyfriend and I like taking the piss out of her.

[Eenuh]

I see my family a lot compared to some of you it seems heh.

 

Immediate family is easy, I still live at home with my parents. Youngest sister goes to uni but she's home every weekend and during the holidays. My other sister drops by at least once a week, sometimes more.

 

Grandfather (dad's side) comes over every few weeks on a Sunday to have dinner here. It's always a bit awkward though because all he does is complain heh. But still, it's nice to have him over. I'd feel guilty if I didn't see him enough.

 

Then mom's side of the family is huuuuuuge. I think she has 11 siblings, who all have their children too (my cousins), who in turn mostly have children as well! A lot of them actually live in my street and work where my parents work, so I see them quite a bit. Plus people just dropping by once in a while. Mom does lots of activities with two of her sisters, and I often join them. =)

 

We also have big family get-togethers two or three times a year it seems. Usually about 60 people there. This summer we did one where the extended family came too (grandmothers siblings, their children, the grandchildren etc.). 200 people showed up, but I didn't know any of them haha.

 

 

Dad's side of the family is smaller as he only has 3 siblings. But again we see each other quite often, usually just people dropping by to talk about something or arrange one thing or another. We all live pretty close to each other so it's not that hard to meet up.

 

 

It's gonna be hard when someday I'm gonna move away from all them. I'm used to seeing some family members at least once a week, so it'll be weird when all of a sudden I won't have that anymore heh.

[Eddage]

We also have big family get-togethers two or three times a year it seems. Usually about 60 people there. This summer we did one where the extended family came too (grandmothers siblings, their children, the grandchildren etc.). 200 people showed up, but I didn't know any of them haha..

 

That is crazy!

 

Retro_Link already covered one side of my family, as for the other side I see my Grandma (my one remaining grandparent) maybe once a year and we have the occasional family get together. We had one a few months ago because my aunt and uncle were over from Australia so saw about 15 (?) relatives then.

 

My dad's side of the family is confusing though. My Grandma is also a great great grandma, my cousin is a grandma and so theirs two generations younger than me... and I'm only 24! It seems that every female on that side turns 18 and immediately becomes pregnant!

 

Every time we have a get together I have to try and remember just how I'm related to some people.

 

My family is also very spread out, not counting immediate family Retro is my closest relative (over an hour away). I also have relatives in America and Australia. A half German, half South African Aunt (who now lives in Aus) and a French cousin in law.

[ReZourceman]

and a French cousin in law.

 

French Law is very interesting, are they studying it at Uni or...?

 

 

 

 

 

P.S. Knew you were French!

[Eenuh]

That is crazy!

 

And that's probably not even half of them. =P

Like from my side of the family, only about 20 people showed up, if that.

 

 

As for family living far away, I don't think I have any immediate family living abroad. Most of them actually live in the same province, which makes meeting up easy. =)

[Eddage]

 

French Law is very interesting, are they studying it at Uni or...?

 

 

 

 

 

P.S. Knew you were French!

 

Firstly, you're an idot.

 

Secondly, if I was French then having a French cousin in law would not be at all surprising and so I wouldn't have mentioned it. Interesting that you didn't pick up on the fact that, using the same logic, I'm also Australian, American, South African and German...

 

[Happenstance]

I still live with my mum so see her everyday. Dad lives down south and he'll usually try and make it up once every month or two. My sister lives about 20 minutes away so I see her usually about once a week with my niece.

 

The rest of my family I dont see a lot apart from my Nan I guess (who is staying with us at the moment). Im never massively comfortable with the rest of my family like aunts/uncles and cousins etc, dont really have a lot in common. Theres also Kim Catrall who is a distant cousin or something but ive never met her, my mum and nan will occassionally meet up with her though when shes doing something in England.