Sunday, November 16, 2014

How Big is Your Family?


With the holidays just around the corner, there's been a lot of talk about holiday celebrations, and tips on seating arrangements, decor, and cooking for a crowd. I've noticed that a lot of people I talk to (and a lot of writers whose blogs I read) host huge gatherings, oftentimes for 20-plus people! Which makes me think...

My family gatherings have always been on the small side. With the exception of my dad's family (which is huge and Italian), most of the time our celebrations would be under 10 people - sometimes WELL under 10. These days, when Jeff and I host any sort of family celebration (such as Thanksgiving, which we'll be hosting again this year) it's just his mother's parents, his mom, and us. Having a smaller group certainly makes things easier - I don't have to worry about cooking actual VATS of food, and the cleanup is a snap. Not to mention, we physically don't have anywhere to put a group much larger than the one we've got. But sometimes I think about how fun a big, rowdy group would be. Our intimate little holidays are relaxing and (relatively) stress-free, and it's nice to be able to have one-on-one time without a ton of chaos, but sometimes it can feel just a tad bit lonesome.

What do you think? Do you have a huge family and love spending time with the whole gang? Does your family have some kind of a fun tradition, like a group football game before dinner (I was always SUPER jealous whenever I'd watch the Thanksgiving episodes of Friends)? Or do you get a headache even thinking about the approaching holidays, and wish that you could get away from the clan? Is anyone like me, and a small group for the holidays is your norm? I feel like I'm definitely in the minority!

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