Do Families Have Family Reunions Anymore?
There was a time when family reunions weren’t just events. They were a whole production.
Your auntie had matching T-shirts made six months in advance. Somebody’s uncle was manning the grill like he was competing on a cooking show. The kids disappeared as soon as they got there and somehow came back only when it was time to eat. Grandma sat in her lawn chair watching generations of her family laugh, dance, argue, hug, and make memories.
And don’t even get me started on the family reunion line dances. Baby, if the Electric Slide, the Cha Cha Slide, or the Cupid Shuffle came on… everybody knew it was time.
But lately I’ve found myself wondering…
Do families even have family reunions anymore?
Maybe it’s just me, but they don’t seem nearly as common as they used to be.
Life got busy.
People moved across the country.
Work schedules got crazier.
Kids have sports, camps, and activities every weekend.
And somewhere along the way, gathering simply because we’re family started getting pushed further and further down the priority list.
It’s kind of sad when you think about it.
We have group chats but rarely gather in person.
We like each other’s photos but don’t always know what’s actually going on in each other’s lives.
Some cousins who used to be inseparable couldn’t pick each other out in a crowd today.
As a single mom, it makes me think even more about what my son is growing up with.
I want him to know his cousins.
I want him to hear the stories about where our family came from.
I want him to experience those loud cookouts where somebody always brings too much potato salad and somebody else insists their baked beans are the best in the family.
Those moments create a sense of belonging that you can’t download from an app.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I know every family isn’t healthy, and not every reunion is filled with love. Some family dynamics require boundaries, and protecting your peace is always okay.
But for families that do have healthy relationships, I hope we don’t let this tradition disappear.
Our children deserve more than holiday selfies.
They deserve memories.
They deserve stories.
They deserve to know the people who share their roots.
Maybe family reunions don’t have to be hundreds of people renting out a park anymore.
Maybe it’s a weekend cabin.
A backyard barbecue.
A beach day.
A family game night.
The location isn’t what matters.
The connection is.
Because one day we’ll wish we had taken more pictures, shared more laughs, listened to more stories, and hugged our loved ones one more time.
Family isn’t promised forever.
The memories we make while we have each other just might be.