Go To My Family Reunion Or........

[Jake46184]

The family reunion is coming up again. Happens every summer. I loathe it. Do you have family reunions? Do you look forward to them?

Pick the least awful of these:

1. Having your wisdom teeth pulled.
2. Front row seat at a 2-hour Nancy Pelosi anti-capitalism speech.
3. Nothing but liver & onions for dinner for the rest of your life.
4. Four more years of Barack Hussein.
5. Going to your family reunion.

This is how I've talked myself into going. I picked #5. While I'm there, I'll keep telling myself it was the lesser of all evils. Yeah....that'll make it ok....

 

[Westside]

For me it depends on which side of who's family. If it is my Dad's side of my family then it great there is over 200 people, no I'm not kidding. We meet at my 93 year old great grandma's place which is 1500 acres down near paragon. And I hang out with the old guys, 70+ just to be clear, and we shoot all day, and they tell ware stories.

If it is ANY other form or fashion of family Then I am with you.

 

[lovemachine]

They don't bother me that much. Free food IS free food.

 

[Scutter01]

If you loathe it, why do you go?

 

[hooky]

As a matter of fact, I went to one yesterday. If I don't want to go to them, I just don't go.

 

[Jake46184]

If you loathe it, why do you go?

It's a bit complicated but the simple answer is because I'm the only one in the family with any money whatsoever. If I don't go and spend $250-300 on enough food to make the event tolerable, I'll surely pay for it in other ways the other 364 days of the year. It's gone from being an appreciated gesture to an expected one. Very similar to the liberals and their entitlement handouts.

</rant>

 

[hooky]

Even more reason not to go then.

 

[Westside]

Even more reason not to go then.

I agree with Hooky. Just don't go. If they don't want you there unless you are bringing something then don't go. Because it is not you they want it is your handout.

 

[eldirector]

We haven't had a "reunion" in years.

That said, if you spend a fair amount of time at my grandmother's place on a holiday, you will see everyone out to 2nd cousins (or beyond) at some point. They know where the food is!

 

[Fordtough25]

Went to my girlfriends family reunion over the weekend, lots of good food.

 

[Mr. Habib]

My family is very small. My wife, on the other hand, is related to 3/4 of Owen county and 1/2 of Iowa. Her family holiday get togethers can be very large. I HATE large groups of people that I barely know. Especially ones that require that I interact socially with them. I would rather perform a self appendectomy with a shot of whiskey and common kitchen utensils than endure another one.

 

[jsharmon7]

When you say "pay for it in other ways the other 364 days of the year," what do you mean? Is this the wife's side of the family? Do you depend on these people for everyday things? Or do you just not want tension at other family events? As others have said, I would just skip one or two and let the family figure it out. There must be some way you can be discreet about why you can't attend without saying that you're tired of being stuck with the bill. The long term of this is that you are ALWAYS going to be the guy shelling out the few hundred bucks for food until you skip a few and force them to figure out a plan B.

 

[Scutter01]

It's a bit complicated but the simple answer is because I'm the only one in the family with any money whatsoever. If I don't go and spend $250-300 on enough food to make the event tolerable, I'll surely pay for it in other ways the other 364 days of the year. It's gone from being an appreciated gesture to an expected one. Very similar to the liberals and their entitlement handouts.

</rant>

Even more reason not to go then.

I agree with Hooky. Just don't go. If they don't want you there unless you are bringing something then don't go. Because it is not you they want it is your handout.

It's time to man up and stop being used. I can't believe they expect you to feed them all. Tell them to make it a pitch-in. Maybe they'll end up with 32 string-bean casseroles.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I guess I'm lucky...my side of the family is small and spread way out. We don't know each other well enough to have a lot of axes to grind, etc. My wife's side is still pretty close together and I get along with them pretty well. One thing I have noticed regarding expectations...some/most of the "kids" are used to showing up and not expecting to have to pitch-in anything. As some of the elders have passed on and what-not, the quantity of food was declining until there was enough hinting around it was time for them to grow up. Some people pick up on hints MUCH quicker than others.

 

[hooky]

One thing I have noticed regarding expectations...some/most of the "kids" are used to showing up and not expecting to have to pitch-in anything. As some of the elders have passed on and what-not, the quantity of food was declining until there was enough hinting around it was time for them to grow up. Some people pick up on hints MUCH quicker than others.

We noticed that most of the people under 30 that actually brought something, carried in something that didn't require anything other than stopping at the grocery store. We even had a couple of buckets of KY Fry walk through the door.

To the OP, if you feel you need to go, just don't feed the bunch. They'll eventually get it figured out.

 

[Scutter01]

To the OP, if you feel you need to go, just don't feed the bunch. They'll eventually get it figured out.

Make a small quantity of something unpalatable, like deviled marshmallows. Then say "I thought it was a pitch-in. I'm the only one that brought something?!"

 

[hornadylnl]

I hate going to family functions on my side. I always feel like I'm being asked or told to do something for everybody. Also, most only show up when there's money to be handed out.

I can actually socialize with my wife's family without feeling obligated to them. They just have way too many dinners and my sister-in-law will invariably ruin it of try to be the center of attention.