NationStates Jolt Archive

So, am I the only one who detest family gatherings? I don't come from a bad family, it's just that I don't do well in large group, I tend to go in my own little world until it's over. Also, I don't really see the point of it. 2/3rd of the family that I do see there, I only see on Thanksgiving and Christmas. So I don't see any real need to talk to them, or get to know them beyond "Hi, how are you?"

Bah, just once I'd like to celebrate Thanksgiving with my immediate family and my best friend.

Not at all.

My in-laws are Italians. The world could be ending and they would make a party of it.

I love family gatherings. My mother acts like she's crazy, like the rest of the family, when they're around. We have a great time, eating popcorn, gulping down soda, playing video games, and watching Star Wars until it's time for all of us to leave. Good times.

I love family gatherings. My mother acts like she's crazy, like the rest of the family, when they're around. We have a great time, eating popcorn, gulping down soda, playing video games, and watching Star Wars until it's time for all of us to leave. Good times.

Watch anything beside Star Wars?

Watch anything beside Star Wars?

Sometimes Lord of The Rings, or the Sci-Fi channel.

Sometimes Lord of The Rings, or the Sci-Fi channel.

I'm guessing horror films are out of the questions?

You know Wilgrove maybe if you did get to know them more, you might enjoy gatherings more.

I'm guessing horror films are out of the questions?

We've already seen 'em all.:tongue:

Every once in a blue moon we'll pop in 28 Weeks later, or something of the sort, but a movie isn't scary after the 35th time or so of seeing it.

I'm guessing horror films are out of the questions?

He did say Sci-Fi channel. Half the programs on the station are horror... or do you mean the Genre?

We've already seen 'em all.:tongue:

Every once in a blue moon we'll pop in 28 Weeks later, or something of the sort, but a movie isn't scary after the 35th time or so of seeing it.

Hehe, true.

You know Wilgrove maybe if you did get to know them more, you might enjoy gatherings more.

Why bother getting to know them if I only see them two days out of the year?

Why bother getting to know them if I only see them two days out of the year?

So you can enjoy those two days. And it may not have to only be those two days if you do get to know them.

Extended family get-togethers are nice. My mother's side of the family can be a bit boring, but they're all good people, and my father's side of the family is hilarious. Honestly, the only thing I genuinely don't like is immediate-family gatherings, because the combination of my mother and my brother in one place tends not to be a pleasant one for me.

I have surprisingly little in common with my relatives... who I'll be seeing again in *checks date* four days.

Ah, well. I guess I'll go there, say nothing, and politely nod my head as I always do...

I have a small family. Two of my cousins have more or less disassociated themselves from the rest of us. My mother and father are dead. My sister and brother have disappeared. The rest are so far flung that travelling to get together isn't just inconvenient, it's a hardship. This year, I'll have Thanksgiving with my son and a friend of his who has no familily - that's it. On Christmas, my son will be with his father and half sister. I'll spend Christmas with my daughter.

I envy you a large, close family with whom to spend the holidays.

I'm grateful that I have someone with whom to spend the holidays.

This post kind of fits on this thread as well. My favorite personal Thanksgiving story I always like to post for thanksgiving. A few years ago two family members of mine brother and sister recently arrived from Cuba had thier first thanksgiving dinner with us. Gave thanks for living in a free nation like the USA unlike their native Cuba. She, A music teacher by profession, plays an awesome Guitar. Learning english and music plans to do the same job in the USA one day. She played the United States of America National Anthem: The Star Spangled Banner for all of us during thanksgiving dinner. As well as a few other patriotic American songs she learned.

For the record should any other Thanksgiving threads appear I will repost this post on thier thread.

i hate em. my family dont play well together.

Depends on the side. There's alot of tention on my father's side. They don't get along too well. My grandparents tried to take the family to Mackinac island for their 50th Anniversary...that didn't go to well. We haven't all been in the same place since that trip about 4 years ago.

My mother's family, on the other hand, gets along like real family. They laugh, they joke, they get mildly inebriated. They have a great time. Family get togethers with them are fun, like they should be.

I have a small family. Two of my cousins have more or less disassociated themselves from the rest of us. My mother and father are dead. My sister and brother have disappeared. The rest are so far flung that travelling to get together isn't just inconvenient, it's a hardship. This year, I'll have Thanksgiving with my son and a friend of his who has no familily - that's it. On Christmas, my son will be with his father and half sister. I'll spend Christmas with my daughter.

I envy you a large, close family with whom to spend the holidays.

I'm grateful that I have someone with whom to spend the holidays.
Come up to CT. We have plenty to go around for a very informal Thanksgiving...

Previous years, we always had my great aunt...This year, with the passing of both my grandparents, my aunt and uncle seem to have finally understood just how much my family does, and they will be taking the great aunt.

Both my parents are on call, so what we've decided to do is get up early and do small snack-type meals...starting with artichoke crab dip, some clam chowder, crab legs, steamers, corn on the cob, potatoes, etc.

It will be nice to have it be just my immediate family for once...it's been a rough year and we could all use some time together.

Family gatherings are awkward and often not much fun, but hey there's free food, so I'm in.

I really don't like my family too much, but I rarely see them since my dad's side lives in Ukraine, and my mom's side is scattered in other parts of Russia.


On another note, my aunt on my dad's side is the only one who can cook.

My family gets on marvelously. There is no pressure or anxiety for a family get together, especially on my father's side. Things always go smoothly and we enjoy ourselves. I sort of feel bad for people that can't enjoy a family event.


On an off note, I think Wilgrove needs to lighten up, stop being such a recluse, and realize there are people in the real world who do care about him and maybe he will enjoy his family get togethers more.

I get so bummed out reading your thoughts on anything that doesn't involve machines wilgrove

You seem to hate people/ real life

So, am I the only one who detest family gatherings? I don't come from a bad family, it's just that I don't do well in large group, I tend to go in my own little world until it's over. Also, I don't really see the point of it. 2/3rd of the family that I do see there, I only see on Thanksgiving and Christmas. So I don't see any real need to talk to them, or get to know them beyond "Hi, how are you?"

Bah, just once I'd like to celebrate Thanksgiving with my immediate family and my best friend.

You're not. I don't mind the individual members of my family (well, some of them anyway), but anytime there's a family gathering I'm really, really glad I've got a lot of distance and a little bit of sea between me and them and can easily make excuses for not showing up. :D
Take my word for it, the best way to avoid family gatherings is to move to a relatively remote island.

This post kind of fits on this thread as well. My favorite personal Thanksgiving story I always like to post for thanksgiving. A few years ago two family members of mine brother and sister recently arrived from Cuba had thier first thanksgiving dinner with us. Gave thanks for living in a free nation like the USA unlike their native Cuba. She, A music teacher by profession, plays an awesome Guitar. Learning english and music plans to do the same job in the USA one day. She played the United States of America National Anthem: The Star Spangled Banner for all of us during thanksgiving dinner. As well as a few other patriotic American songs she learned.

For the record should any other Thanksgiving threads appear I will repost this post on thier thread.

Erm... ok, and where's the promissed story? :confused:

You're not. I don't mind the individual members of my family (well, some of them anyway), but anytime there's a family gathering I'm really, really glad I've got a lot of distance and a little bit of sea between me and them and can easily make excuses for not showing up. :D
Take my word for it, the best way to avoid family gatherings is to move to a relatively remote island.

Like Greenland

Erm... ok, and where's the promissed story? :confused:

I believe that was the story and I have seen it on another thread.

Like Greenland

Yes, but any island will do, in a jiffy. As long as you make sure none of your family will follow you.


I believe that was the story and I have seen it on another thread.

But that wasn't a story, was it? A story usually has a point of some sort.

So, am I the only one who detest family gatherings? Yes.I don't come from a bad family, it's just that I don't do well in large group, I tend to go in my own little world until it's over.You don't say?
Also, I don't really see the point of it. 2/3rd of the family that I do see there, I only see on Thanksgiving and Christmas. So I don't see any real need to talk to them, or get to know them beyond "Hi, how are you?"None except that they're related to you, and, you know, might be glad to see you once in a while.

Bah, just once I'd like to celebrate Thanksgiving with my immediate family and my best friend.
I suggest going out with your best friend -- unless of course he or she is celebrating Thanksgiving with their family. You can always go out to a restaurant, or eat in your room, to get away from all the annoying people you don't need to know at your family's table, too.

Yes, but any island will do, in a jiffy. As long as you make sure none of your family will follow you.

Yes, and I do understand where you are coming from. We moved halfway over the continent many years ago. Now before during Christmas and Easter the day would be split up visiting the two sides of the family so one was for a few hours and then off to the next one. When we became 2000km away it was harder for us to be able to get over there. What that meant was Christmas and Easter was just the immediate family and it was nice and relaxing at home without having to rush all over the place.

But that wasn't a story, was it? A story usually has a point of some sort.

Well it could have done with more structure but I (or at least think I did) managed to get what the poster was trying to say.

I love my family, and I love meeting them.

Yes, and I do understand where you are coming from. We moved halfway over the continent many years ago. Now before during Christmas and Easter the day would be split up visiting the two sides of the family so one was for a few hours and then off to the next one. When we became 2000km away it was harder for us to be able to get over there. What that meant was Christmas and Easter was just the immediate family and it was nice and relaxing at home without having to rush all over the place.


Well, unfortunately Ireland wasn't far enough away to present an excuse not to come over for christmas. But last christmas was the first year I lived together with my BF, so I had the absolute perfect excuse. It was one of the best christmasses ever. :D


Well it could have done with more structure but I (or at least think I did) managed to get what the poster was trying to say.

I didn't. Is it some sort of miracle story that his sister learned to play guitar in the one day on Thanksgiving or something?

It's a mixed bag with my family. Normally Christmas usually ends up in some argument, with my dad moaning about the dinner, my mum having a go at him while my brother, sister and I just have a laugh. This year though my father has to visit his parents in India and i think I'll cook the Christmas dinner this year.

I had an incredibly large family gathering last week with aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins, great aunts, great uncles etc. I had a good time.

Ack. I moved halfway across the country for a reason.

Ack. I moved halfway across the country for a reason.
To see the sun set over the sea instead of a sunrise over sea?

Wilgrove being misanthropic, what a shock...

Maybe if youtalked to your extended family, you might discover you actually might like to speak with them more than once or twice a year

Wilgrove being misanthropic, what a shock...

Maybe if youtalked to your extended family, you might discover you actually might like to speak with them more than once or twice a year
yes but if they are all like wilgrove.....

Be careful which family members you dislike because you'll end up having a kid just like him/her. That's what happened to my mom. :D

She disliked my uncle Fred(the crazy uncle). Unfortunately, he died when I was relatively young so I never knew him as well as I would have liked. I suppose that's why I'm making up for it by being my nephews' crazy uncle. :D

Wilgrove being misanthropic, what a shock...

Maybe if youtalked to your extended family, you might discover you actually might like to speak with them more than once or twice a year

I'm not to sure... this wouldn't apply to the vast majority of families I've come across so far...

Well, unfortunately Ireland wasn't far enough away to present an excuse not to come over for christmas. But last christmas was the first year I lived together with my BF, so I had the absolute perfect excuse. It was one of the best christmasses ever. :D

lol, I bet it was.

I didn't. Is it some sort of miracle story that his sister learned to play guitar in the one day on Thanksgiving or something?

No I think it was more that his family managed to get into America from Cuba and where finally reunited and together again.

Wilgrove being misanthropic, what a shock...

Maybe if youtalked to your extended family, you might discover you actually might like to speak with them more than once or twice a year
I'm not to sure... this wouldn't apply to the vast majority of families I've come across so far...
Certainly not for mine. My family tends to find excuses to have parties, and invite as many people as possible. We had a party for my grandmother's funeral. And then, less than a month later, for my dad's retirement. Each with a nice selection of the extended family (and I mean extended. Third cousins are not unheard of.)