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    #1

    Family gatherings

    We were talking about family gatherings on Chat today.

    Do you get to have them often? Do you enjoy them?

    I always wanted to be part of a large family and have lots of get togethers. I am so lucky in that having 3 children and now 4 grandchildren we are a large family. Lucky in that they all live close enough for regular get togethers, and love them too, and family holidays .

    Growing up I was in fact part of large extended family. My dad was one of 8, mum one of 5. Everyone had at least once child so that was a lot of cousins.
    My dad's family mostly lived further away and we rarely saw them. Mum's were local but all the cousins much older than me. Family gatherings were only at weddings.
    It was mostly just me, mum, dad and my younger handicapped sister. I longed for siblings to enjoy life with, and I am so glad my DDs have just that, and that my GC have cousins near their age who they know well and love.
    “A grandchild fills a space in your heart that you never knew was empty.” – Unknown
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    #2
    I never see any of my side of family. Most of them have died.
    Got a few cousins,but i only know where 3 of them are.
    Myself and 2 cousins keep in touch by birthday/Christmas cards.
    1 cousin is a friend on facebook,but its very rare we chat.

    Now hubby's family is a different kettle of fish.
    I feel close to all of the family.
    Maybe that is because i spent a lot of time doing things for mam and dad.
    Not very often we have a large gathering,but we all see each other often.

    See DS1 quite regularly,he does live near to us.
    We don't see DS2 and his fiance all that much,they both work long hours.

    We stay in touch with both grandaughters.
    GD1 sends photos and videos of great grandson when he learns/does something new.
    Sometimes I forget to like posts,but that doesn't mean I don't like them.
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      #3
      Nan2, its lovely that you feel close to your in laws. We can tell that from your posts.
      My SIL3 is a bit like that. Fond of his own family but rarely sees them, but luckily loves and embraces all our family things.
      “A grandchild fills a space in your heart that you never knew was empty.” – Unknown
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        #4
        We used to have huge gathering when we lived in the big house but when we moved we just didn’t have the room .
        It was reduced to just our children and SILs parents .
        Bs family just don’t get on he only has time for his Brother Martin we see him as much as we can only he lives 1 hour away now so not as often or easily as we would like .
        I only have my oldest Sister left I see her regularly
        We we’re always close as a family, my late brother and sister myself and oldest sister loved each other and got on reallly well
        it’s sad there is only us two now .

        Although both my Mother and father had large families I don’t know any cousins as such ,
        All but one uncle are dead

        Im in contact with my Brothers 6 children every day via family chat .
        Im not fat just 6ft too small
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          #5
          I'm very like Gem in that I longed for brothers and sisters and a large extended family. My only sister died in babyhood, and my mother's only living relative, her brother, never married and died when I was 4. Dad was one of 5, but only his younger brother had children, my only two cousins, neither of whom had children of their own. I've got about 3 second cousins (cousins once removed?) but never really known them.

          So when OH and I got married I thought it was amazing that he and his siblings all got on well together and there were regular family occasions at his parents' vicarage. It was huge, so plenty of room! When they retired and downsized family gatherings moved to his eldest sister's house, also in North Wales. They lived in the main part of a large country house, so again plenty of room.

          Now family gatherings aren't so frequent and not so easy to arrange with long distances and advancing ages! They tend to be more fragmented, but we do keep in touch, which is great. I'm trying to organise a get together at Easter when OH's eldest sister and her OH are down here staying with their DD.

          Nanto, I love the way your OH's family are so close, and you socialise together a lot.

          Oma, even being a hour away puts up barriers to visiting, doesn't it. Our DS1 and family are a similar distance away and you don't just drop in on each other like you might if you lived closer. Having said that we can go over a week without seeing DS2 and family who are only 20 minutes away! How lovely to have such good contact with your Brother's children. It must make him feel closer - I know you miss him very much. xx



          "Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognise how good things really are. "

          (Marianne Williamson)
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            #6
            Family gatherings is a painful subject for me as most of you are aware.
            It's impossible for all of our grown-up children to even be in the same room.
            I don't have any surviving siblings, I am in contact with a few cousins via Facebook but it's not a close relationship but on a cheerier note my two SIL's are like sisters to me .
            They are extremely caring.
            Bring me sunshine in your smile.

            Comment

              #7
              Mimi, I did think twice about posting about this to be honest, as know we have members with family difficulties xx

              Thank goodness your SILs are so lovely.
              “A grandchild fills a space in your heart that you never knew was empty.” – Unknown

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                #8
                Like Daisy, I was an only child. Mum had a brother, married but living in Shetland so I think I only saw him twice in my whole life. He had no children. dad has a sister who had 1 son, but they lived hours away so we hardly saw them either. I always wanted brothers and sisters and always said I would marry someone who wasn’t an only child! Guess what, P was. He did however have uncles, aunts and cousins and extended family. When I first met him and started to go to family gathering I found it very uncomfortable as I just wasn’t used to it. I was very shy but his. mum thought I was just unfriendly until I got to know them better. We have some lovely times with his family especially his auntie. They would regularly have huge gatherings, everyone sleeping over and loads of food, she was a great hostess. Of course, they are all gone now and it’s just me, DD and DS, with DS on the other side of the world it’s onlY DD I see regularly. I feel like Ive come full circle, almost back to being on my own again. Luckily, I’m ok with that and our small family get on well and have fun on the rare occasions we are together.
                "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." - Dr Seuss

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                  #9
                  Mimi, it's so sad that your adult children can't reconcile their differences at the moment, but they all love you and your OH, and I'd never say 'never' about them reconciling one day. xxx

                  Enfys, it's strange how things go full circle, isn't it. The main thing is that your family get on well and enjoy each other's company. That is a huge blessing. I don't think I was shy, but when I was first married I found it hard to understand family dynamics, in-jokes and their shared history.




                  "Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognise how good things really are. "

                  (Marianne Williamson)

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