I think they are. I'm talking about not just grandparents (if any left), siblings and spouses and their children, but also with cousins, etc.

Methinks alot of reunions sorta happens at weddings ...and funerals. Real family reunion that I experienced was 20 years ago when my great uncle was still alive. We had cousins, spouses and their children at a fun outdoor summer barbecue. About 65 relatives were there. I will always remember that. It just seemed so innocent...those times. So long ago.

I only know of 2 people who belong to extended families where they do plan and have a substantial family reunion which draws upon relatives from several countries worldwide every 3-5 years... Obviously for families with money.

I also know of one of these extended families who actually produce a simple email text newsletter couple times a year and report of major things among the extend family members. I thought it was a wonderful touch in our highly mobile world.

Because it's hard to get so many people together
all at one time, we have one once every two years
with many coming from afar.
Other than that, our regular gatherings on holidays
and so forth are big as is.

Orchid, I love the idea of a big family email update. I feel lazy because I would love to receive one, but I have no interest in being the one to organize it. How sad...

However, I am thinking it might be easy to gather email addresses because we have a huge family wedding coming up. Hmmm.

One of my nephews is getting married and he is having everyone all the way back to his parent's cousins (which are also my cousins). It should be great fun because the only time we see these cousins is usually at funerals.

In this day and age, it's hard enough to get our immediate family all together for the holidays.

When my Grandparents were alive we had parties...Hired a hall all did the cooking made an occassion.This was for pre wedding birthdays and homecomings.
But the best was in June each year.

The Highland Games.
It was open house.tea all day.Nice table at six..Cousins came brought others we celebrated.children ran races and won small money.Pipe bands played and were ranked.Everyone watched the March Past..when the massed pipe bands walked through town.
at night we went to the fair...saw goldfish coconuts and swing boats.
Prior to the day Grandma cooked cleaned and Grandad got a new hat(bunnet).
We made an annual meeting a celebrayion..as did many in our town.We were happy and anticipated June knowing we would meet people we loved even if we did not see them often.Sadly since my Grandparents died so did the celebration...The Highland Games will be soon.I've been back but alas no family home.
Mountain ash

We used to have family reunions - parents, siblings, in-laws and children met every Thanksgiving, with extended family invited every so often for a special year (e.g., Mom & Dad's 50th wedding anniversary). We all really enjoyed those. And that Thanksgiving reunion was the highlight of the year for all of us.

Unfortunately, our entire family has disintegrated over the last 10 years (parents, uncles, aunts, cousins and one brother dying, other siblings divorced, grandchildren growing up and unable to attend because of work schedules, etc) - there just aren't enough of us left to gather anymore.

My tidbit of wisdom? Enjoy your family and make the time/effort to gather together as often as possible while you still have them to gather with!

I don't even know many of my cousins because my paternal grandparents were considered 'black sheep' and were disowned by the rest of their families. My mom didn't keep in touch with her siblings and their families after we came to the US in the mid 60s. As I was only mid-teens at the time, keeping in touch with family wasn't important; fitting in was. There is family lore that some distant cousins are in Canada, and others in Ohio, but the majority are in the UK. One of my mom's cousins supposedly married and moved to Italy. So family is scattered all over. I have lots of old pictures, but nobody left to tell me who they are. My mom was funny that way, she cut off ties to anyone who 'crossed' her or anyone she perceived as crossing her. There was a family member who emigrated to the US in the 1890s. I tried finding him on the passenger lists, but with a name like William Williams it was difficult to pinpoint which one was mine from the hundreds on the manifests!! Anyway, didn't mean to ramble, but family reunions sound like a wonderful idea. I think when we're young, it doesn't mean as much. I'm thankful that my kids have a strong sense of family - at least I did that right!

Yep, sure thing Orchid. I have a huge extended family
and most are living right here in Honolulu. But it is
nice when we have the "biggie" once every two years
and the ones living abroad come home.
They tend to come home twice a year anyway, but it is
hard for them to see everyone in the space of a week
or two.

Sort of along the same line, we have many relatives in
Vegas and I cringe at the thought of bumping into one of
them LOL. Thing is, I go there to get away from my
family and I'd just as soon as wait til they come
home to visit lol.
Which reminds me...last summer in Vegas I did run into
a cousin, who had a side job at the hotel I was staying
at; only that I did NOT know that, arrrgghhhh LOL!