Throwback Thursday: Family reunion stories, anyone? #TBT

[#1]

It's Thursday!

It´s summer time in the northern hemisphere. Often families hold family reunions during these warmer months. We currently live far away from our extended family, so sadly we will not be attending any this year.

How about you guys, family reunion stories, anyone - anyone - anyone?

Let’s make it a great Thursday!
KGM

[Dan Breyen]

I remember many family reunions took place on someone's farm.  

Unfortunately, many of the family farms aren't around any longer, so now the reunions have moved to a community park.

I'll be at one this weekend.

[Amanda Barber]

Family reunions were always "up north" here in Wisconsin, and I have fond memories of them. Once my great-grandparents passed away, we didn't do them anymore. However, we did have one locally within the last 10 years, which was great. Since my grandmother passed away two years ago, it seems to have sparked more connections between my mom and her cousins, which has been cool to see. I don't foresee another family reunion any time soon, and I hope to stay close to my cousins to not need one as an excuse to get together! :-D

[Barbara Szczesniak]

When I was a kid, both sets of grandparents lived across the street from each other, so family reunions were generally when everyone went to Buffalo for Christmas. 

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, we started having summer reunions with my parents, my 5 siblings, and their children. These were generally at a beach location where we would rent a big house. It was always the most expensive month, since it had to be after kids in New York and Virginia finished school in late June and teachers in Texas and Georgia started school in August. These lasted for several years, until 3 of us moved to the same town north of Atlanta, and then we were back to the Christmas reunion. These also dwindled when 2 of those people moved from Atlanta.

In the past 10 months, 1 nephew and 2 nieces got married, so the weddings became a kind of reunion.  

[Stephen_Lugton]

A few years ago we had a family reunion for my Great Uncle's 100th birthday.

He lived in Auckland, New Zealand but many of his family have moved to Australia or the UK so it was the first time in years that many of us had been in the same place.

When it was time for a family photo there was much sorting and rearranging of children, grand children, great grand children, nephews/nieces, cousins and other.  That was when we discovered that my sister and a cousin had wandered off for a smoke.  So there are 2 family photos from the occasion; one with Great Uncle and everyone except my sister and the cousin, and one with only Great Uncle, my sister and the cousin.

And then on the second day one of Great Uncle's children announced that he and his wife (who was also there) were getting divorced, which was a bit awkward, especially on the family boat trip where he sat at the front of the boat with 2 of their children, and she sat at the back with the 3rd child.  This arrangement was followed at all the other family events over the 2 weeks we were in New Zealand.

[John Funk]

When I was growing up, we lived a long way from relatives on both sides of the family. And neither family did any kind of family reunion that I am aware of. And without that history/culture/tradition, no one in my immediate family has bothered to organize one either. And not sure how much effort I would make to attend one to be honest. Especially now that I am halfway across the world. 

[Summer Hogan]

I remember so many family reunions I've had with my family, mostly camping related. Some at Mt. Graham, some at Lake Powell, and some at Christopher Creek. When I was young and my father was in the US Air Force, we would try to get back home to Arizona every year at which time we would do reunions with both sides of the family! They were so much fun! 

[Laurie Sciutti]

I got nothin'! 😆

[Natalie Beiler]

We had rather large extended family reunions every summer during my childhood with LOTS of home cooked food (Swiss-German heritage), outdoor games, and family stories.

After marrying and moving away from my home area, the reunions became less accessible. Today we intentionally plan time with our siblings every 2-5 years. 

Love spending time with family!

[Rishabh Jhawar]

Hello from India!

Most of our family reunions take place during the summer when the kids have a good month-long vacation. Back in the '90s and early 2000s, I have some of the fondest memories of these reunions with cousins, farm, food, entertainment, travel, and non-stop fun. These days, marriages and family functions are opportunities for these reunions.

[Ram Kumar Aravindakshan _Adaptavist_]

Still do it every year. Although compared to before, not many family members attend due to work and distance etc.

[Kristján Geir Mathiesen]

Thanks for your fun comments and memories, all.

[vikram]

Usually we meet for every summer, but for us summer is to far now. 

Gradually the gathering is getting decreased because of the work culture and dependencies of family childrens (like school, coaching, training, higher studies etc...,) 

Vikram P 

[Andy Gladstone]

We were a small family, so there was no need for reunions to bring us all together. We saw each other often enough that we didn't need a planned event for all of us to get together. Now that the next generation has expanded our family, we use weddings, Bar Mitzvahs and life event celebrations to get together. These don't happen often enough, but when they do, it is a full-time trip down memory lane.

[Vronik]

Hi

The best family gatherings when I was little at my grandparents' house, all together at the table eating, enjoying grandma's food and then at the table talking about everything for a while playing with my cousins, when we were all together, happy, beautiful, wonderful days to remember.

Regards

[Shawn Doyle - ReleaseTEAM]

Our family reunions faded out with my grandparent's generation.  I recall in the 70s both sides of the family would have some summertime 1-2 day picnic at a great uncle or somebody's house.  As we grew older my parents didn't continue the tradition. At best we now have one or two family members at holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, but often it's just immediate family.

Part of it was 50 years ago everyone lived in the same general area, it was a matter of a 1-2 hour drive at best.  Over the years the families spread out across the country and some out of the country.