Family Reunion
By dorannmwin
@dorannmwin (36392)
United States
June 9, 2010 1:58pm CST
This weekend is my family reunion. My father was one of nine children and both of his parents came from large families as well. The last time that we had a family reunion was in the summer of 2007 at my aunt's home in Arizona and it was a small gathering. However, I believe this time is going to be much bigger because the extended family is joining as well.
I wondered what other people think about family reunions? For me, I'm excited about it because I know I'll get to see my cousin and her children for the first time since 2007 and I also know that I will be able to see other people that I haven't seen for some time. I don't know if there will be a fight this time (seems like my aunts always get into it with each other). Overall though, I'm glad to have the opportunity to see everyone again.
4 people like this
17 responses
@allknowing (130066)
• India
10 Jun 10
I always got all my siblings and their families together for Christmas each year. But now all of us have scattered all over the globe so to say and it would be wishful thinking that we will ever get together again. Some of us however are on face book where we get the latest news about each other, which includes posting latest pictures, etc.
1 person likes this
@starsailover (7829)
• Mexico
10 Jun 10
Hi all knowing: That's what my family used to do for December but know we only celebrate with some of my family members, because, as families grows it's more difficult to make a reunion. And at the same time, they have a lot of problems, so some of my aunts prefer to stay at their own homes celebrating with their husbands and children. Thanks for your answer. Have a nice day.
ALVARO.
@allknowing (130066)
• India
10 Jun 10
Because of the possibility of keeping in touch over the phone, emailing, etc there is less effort put in to get together nowadays.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
14 Jun 10
Facebook is a great thing to have in order to stay in touch with family members that live near and far, but I don't think that there is anything that will ever replace seeing each other in person.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
14 Jun 10
You are completely correct. This was the first time that I've seen some of my second and third cousins since one of my third cousins was married four years ago. It seems like it has been an eternity.
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
12 Jun 10
Hi Dexter,
This is a great opportunity for us to meet our relatives and bond with them. That's one of the activities i really love in reunions the introduction/getting to know you portion. also the presentation of the familoy tree and it's fruits. we do our annual reunion every december.
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
9 Jun 10
Our last one was in 2003 when my mom was still alive. All the aunts and uncles came and some of the cousins. A few of my aunts got into each other too. What is it about aunts? :D
I don't expect there will be another one any time soon. People are too broke.
1 person likes this
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
14 Jun 10
A big part of our family is broke as well. However, since the majority of them live close to one another, it isn't that difficult to rent a shelter at the park and have a famiy reunion there.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
14 Jun 10
Definitely better to see everyone in person instead of through the internet. However, now that the reunion is over, I'm able to enjoy it via facebook over and over again because there are literally hundreds of pictures from the reunion posted.
@kquiming (2997)
• Philippines
9 Jun 10
generally i think i love family reunions. depends on who's coming i guess. lol. there are people in the family that i'd rather avoid so if i know some of them are coming, i think i'll just pretend to be sick so i have an excuse not to show up. lol. gud luck with your reunion! have fun
1 person likes this
@chanlot (189)
• Indonesia
10 Jun 10
hahahaa ....., you are funny
is there anyone in your family who does not like? so that you are malingering if he comes?
I never do that, because all my family well and love to me, so I am very happy if they came to my house and I will definitely give the most delicious food.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
14 Jun 10
I had a great time. I wish that some of the people that weren't there would have came, but none the less, it was great to be able to catch up with those that were able to be there.
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
12 Jun 10
Hi Dorann,
So it will be tomorrow. I can feel the excitement in you friend. We have this reunion too every year. There's a host family each year where all the relatives will be going to the place and have the reunion. so good luck and enjoy this great event in your life with your family and relatives.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
14 Jun 10
It was awesome to have the opportunity to see how the younger cousins have grown up and to see how we all have such similarities in our appearance. I hope that we can all get together soon for another joyful event.
1 person likes this
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
15 Jun 10
I wish that it was something that we were able to do on an annual basis, but it seems that we typically do it every 2-3 years because of the fact that everyone is so widely spread.
1 person likes this
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
15 Jun 10
One weekend is not enough for chats and updating...but at least you find time to get together and enjoy the day! is it an annual event or whenever everyone finds common time to meet and celebrate? i know the joy is still fresh and the longingness for another one is so intense as of the moment!
@jessi0887 (2788)
• United States
10 Jun 10
I never really enjoyed my family reunions. We haven't had one though since i was around 15 I wanna say. Back then being a teen anything to do with family was lame. Just another teen i shall say. I do miss it but half the time i didn't know but maybe 30% of the people there because of all the extended family.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
14 Jun 10
That is a place that you and I differ. I have always loved family reunions and that is the reason that I looked very forward to this occasion. I think everyone had a great time as well.
@tigeraunt (6326)
• Philippines
13 Jun 10
dear dora,
i just love reunions like you do. it is always very exciting to have it and seeing love ones from far away.
have a nice day.
ann
have a nice day.
ann@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
14 Jun 10
It was awesome, I would say that there was at least 150 people there that I am related to. Many of the people my children had never met, so that was an added bonus to me.
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
10 Jun 10
Family reunions are important to have. As family members get older, you can never be sure how health and other situations will affect them. You just don't know when everyone will be gathered together agsain. So many good times and memories are made at family reunions. I will be going to my mother's cousin's family reunion on Saturday. Hopefully the weather cooperates for a pleasant outing.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
14 Jun 10
Aside from the fact that it was extremely hot and humid, the weather did cooperate with us quite well. I was happy to get to see everyone, especially my grandmother's only living sibling, he is 84 years old now and every time that I have the chance to see him is a treasure.
@starsailover (7829)
• Mexico
10 Jun 10
Hi dorann win: I love family reunions too because they are an excellent oportunity to talk with some of your farthest members that you haven't seen for years and it's also a nice oportunity to share a nice moment with your family members. At the same time I understand your worries. For some reason, there's always a discussion during these reunions. I don't know why but I think that we have to be tolerant to enjoy this time. Thanks for asking us this question. Have a nice day.
ALVARO.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
14 Jun 10
Well, with the fights within the family, they didn't let me down at all. It was after almost everyone had left that there was a discussion about something that is going on within the family that is a fight brewing. I just hope that it doesn't end up with alienation of someone.
@monkeylong (3139)
• Guangzhou, China
10 Jun 10
Yeah, as far as I am concerned, I think I admire you so much that I have never had a so big get together with my family. In my family, there maybe can not say it is so big , it can be a middle lager one in my area. But people in my family usually are busy with their events , even have no time to come back home to have a visit. So this kind of together is so rare in my family . Just hope you can enjoy a nice life there.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
14 Jun 10
It was so wonderful to have the opportunity to get together with a lot of my cousins. I hadn't seen some of them since I was pregnant with my son and it was wonderful to see them all again.
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
10 Jun 10
Hi doran
Right now we have a grand reunion, my brother and his wife are here, he is retired now, my uncle has come from a far place, he is from a village, we all are happy
Hope you will enjoy this reunion at your end, i also wish every thing will go fine, no quarrels lol..
Thanks for sharing.
Welcome always.
Cheers.
Professor
Cheers.
Professor
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
14 Jun 10
It was wonderful to have the opportunity to see everyone again. We had a good time even though it was very, very hot and extremely sticky.
@chanlot (189)
• Indonesia
10 Jun 10
I also held a family reunion and usually I do it once a year at one of our homes, in every Idul Fitri holiday that falls on every first date Shawwal Hijri.
Perhaps you wanted to know what we do when a family reunion? yes ... we had a meal together, talking to one another, catching up feeling nostalgic etc. We really enjoyed the atmosphere and if we allow it to hold the event every month. But it was only a dream, because it's impossible I can do, because we've been busy with the busyness of each.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
14 Jun 10
It would be awesome if we were able to have an annual family reunion, but that doesn't seem to happen because of the fact that this side of the family is so large.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
15 Jun 10
I wish that we were able to have a reunion that is that large, but we've not been able to get everyone together ever for some reason or another.
@kamarlow (65)
• United States
10 Jun 10
My father is one of ten (the 3rd) and any family gathering is considered a family reunion. I do think that you will enjoy the family being together, especially in such a long time (when family is that large...3 years is an eternity). Spending the time with your family should be cherished and all memories stored. I do wish the best of luck to you and hope you seriously have the best time you could ever have.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
14 Jun 10
My father was one of ten as well. There are seven of them that are still alive, sixteen grandchildren, fifteen great-grandchildren. Plus there are still a few great-aunts and uncles that are still alive as well as cousins that aren't first cousins.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
10 Jun 10
hi dorannmwin I think family reunions are great but I am elderly now
and cannot get around so easily, I have a lot of relatives scattered all over and just found another couple of cousins that got in touch with me
because of my work in doing my family tree. they are also working on the same problem as I am , who are my gr gr gr grandfathers parents, this is a wall we have all run into and we all heard the same rumors that four richey brothers came here From Scotland and settled in the US in indiana and kentucky and Missouri.so far thats all hearsay. yes I love family reunions.
we have all run into and we all heard the same rumors that four richey brothers came here From Scotland and settled in the US in indiana and kentucky and Missouri.so far thats all hearsay. yes I love family reunions.@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
14 Jun 10
Well, it sounds like your family is originally from the same area that I'm from. I've never personally gotten into tracing my geneology, but my sister is working through our family. My uncle has done a lot of the legwork, but she is trying to build it further.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
14 Jun 10
I definitely do treasure the time that I am able to spend with my family because we were all very close growing up. Times have changed, but we are all still close to one another.
@ersanmiguel (476)
• Philippines
10 Jun 10
on my side, family reunion is always held during new year's day (january 01). its a great opportunity to meet whoever is added to our growing family especially new babies 
. on my husband's side, i guess they rarely organize a family reunion. the last was christmas of 2005.
. on my husband's side, i guess they rarely organize a family reunion. the last was christmas of 2005.@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
14 Jun 10
For my family, it is always with my father's people. My mother's side of the family was much smaller and during the later years of her life, my grandma severed many of the ties with her siblings which makes it impossible to get together with them.
