Family Reunions

Darcy Baldwin

Darcy Baldwin

Just a Scrapper
My paternal grandmother's family is having a family get together this weekend, and my Dad has asked me to join him in going. I know NONE of these people at all. I probably have only been in their presence once my entire life at a funeral. Most of them weren't even at my grandmother's funeral.

I must REALLY love my Daddy. :D

So - taking the kindle and hiding in the corner..would that look TOO obvious like I don't really want to be there?
 
These kinds of things always make me kind of uncomfortable. BUT, the last family reunion I went to, which I thought was going to be a nightmare, turned out to be really fun and interesting. Hearing old-timers talk is always fun...you may learn some good stuff about your dad :)
 
Yeah, it will totally be uncomfortable when you first get there, but if you stick it out and try to interact with some people I bet you would enjoy it... especially if you talk to a bunch of older people. It's amazing some of the stories some have.
 
I'm not normally a social person, but I've always really loved family reunions... just for the fun stories from way back when... I've learned a ton of the antics that my FIL did as a kid... or finding out that my FIL's middle name which is also Mark's and Isaac's middle name was after a boy that Mark's aunts had a crush on and not a family name like Mark had always thought LOL :D
 
And the good thing about not knowing anyone is that no one has had a chance to make you NOT like them yet lol.

I have so much family that is scattered across the country that I've never met. My grandmother was the youngest of 9 children and all of them except her brother moved away in the 40's and 50's and never came back. I'm close with her brother's family..but I have dozens of cousins who I don't even know and probably never will.
 
We use to have these yearly for a long time when I was growing up I dreaded them. Now that I'm older I wish they would have another. I think you should go and take tons of photos to scrap. :) Maybe like others said you could get some good stories to go with! :)
 
Have to agree with Marla--I don't have the best of relationships with my in-laws, but talking to the older ones and hearing their stories is a lot of fun, surprisingly. Same can be said for my older uncles and aunts. But I have to also say that I've also done the hiding in a corner bit :p
 
We've been going to my mom's family reunions forever...When we first went to my dad's side I was a little nervous but everyone was so nice and friendly that we had a blast and there was no need to hide :)
 
I loveee family reunions. My father-in-law always do something with all family. More than 100 people talking together. hehehe I think this is fun. :) But I'm always all to party! ehehe
Try to have fun. Know more about your dad... :)
 
I love reunions with close family that I don't get to see often, but I hate having to interact with strangers even if they're family! Do you or your Dad have any old photos you could bring? That would get people talking and telling you the stories behind them, plus you could get some good material for heritage LOs.
 
The genealogist in me says take a notebook and do some interviews. Family history is the best kind of history. I love learning about the people who made my life possible. I take immense pride in my heritage, good, bad or otherwise. If it simply isn't your cup of tea my motto is always be gracious and kind if you can't be invisible. :)
 
Get these people talking! When we went to my DH's grandfathers 50th wedding anniversary all the old ladies and old guys were HYSTERICAL! One of the 70 year olds starting hitting on my DH...it was funny. We had a great time.
 
Rubia Padilha said:
Know more about your dad... :)
Click to expand...

Yeah...you might learn something fun you never knew! :w00t: Last time my DH was with his grandmother (now a widow) she started telling him all her personal stories about dating his grandfather during WWII, where their son (my DH's Dad) was conceived, etc. He came home full of awesome stories.
 
Thanks, girls. The problem for us is the old folks have already passed on..and they are the ones we knew. This will be the grandchildren/great grandchildren that we never knew. Dad is feeling the loss of his big sister just a couple of weeks ago (who was 20 years older than him), plus some inevitable I'm getting old feelings, etc., and wants to connect up with these folks.

Of course I'll be taking notes and trying, I'm still just dreading a day spent with complete strangers because I'm anti-social that way LOL
 
Sean's mom roped us into going to one for her mother's side of the family the first year we were in Michigan, we were living with them at the time.

Sean didn't know any of the people, at all. I won't go to another one.
 
Just start talking Dr Who, and all those other shows, and they'll automatically think you're weird and either a) will stay away or b) you'll find out there's another "oddball" in the family who adores those things, too. You never know!
 
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