I remember my mom telling me stories of when she was growing up and how close she was to her Cousins even as adults. As a child I was as well and some of my Cousins even lived with us from time to time. Then we grew up and people don’t see each other like they used to. Unless it’s a funeral or a Wedding.
I wish things would go back to the way they used to be and Charlie could get to know his Cousins because he has quite a few of them and he hasn’t had the opportunity to meet them. I don’t even know there parents even though David and I’ve been married 17 years. It’s time to take our families back and with today being July 24: National Cousins Day – #nationalcousinsday.
I would like to host a party today and invite not only invite my Cousins over but David’s and Charlies then Charlie and I would be able to meet all of our family we ‘ve never meet. Would you like to join us and your welcome to invite your Cousins to celebrate with us. If people live out of town or they are to busy to get together in person we can host a party online.
National Cousins Day falls on the calendar every July 24 and is the perfect day to send some love to those family members we call cousins. Whether they were our first best friend or first antagonist, cousins are the people who made family get togethers fun – or at least more tolerable and less awkward – when we were kids. Whether close cousins or distant cousins, friends or foes, those of us who are lucky enough to still have cousins around should think about celebrating them today.
The two-in-one family and best friend bond is celebrated during National Cousins Day on July 24th. No, one knows when National Cousins Day made its way onto our modern-day calendar creating a mystery. What we do know is Cousins have been keeping families connected for a long time and God-willing its going to keep happening.
American families have been coming together for reunions since the first settlers left the safety of the Colonies and headed West to find fame, fortune, and more importantly, land. As one generation passed the baton of keeping extended family connected onto the next generation, Cousins became the guardians of family ties.
Even in families who no longer gather for regular reunions, Cousins tend to reach out to each other later in life and revisit the shared memories of being family. If your Cousins are like brothers and sisters or you became best friends growing up, staying in touch with them may not require a special day on your calendar.
If you’re from a small family or one where the wanderlust gene is dominant and you’re not quite sure where all your Cousins wandered off to years ago, celebrating Cousinship takes a little more effort. It may take circling National Cousins Day on your calendar every year as an excuse to say hello to the Cousins of your youth.
Revisiting a family member you haven’t seen since you both were forced to sit at the kids’ table is always an interesting and nostalgic reunion. You get to see where your lives took you, the families you’ve created, the careers you’ve gone after, and the faces you’ve aged. Blessed are those who have Cousins that double as best friends.
Cherish this bond on National Cousin Day! Head out, and invite those cousins along to create new adventures,. Or dine at your favorite eatery, or just be yourself and laze around your home with your Cousins. Cousins are among the few people who you can completely be yourself around. If you have memorable photographs from your childhood with your Cousin squad, consider re-enacting and snapping a new photo with the same poses and similar outfits, and share the photo online using the Hashtag #nationalcousinsday.
NATIONAL COUSINS DAY ACTIVITIES
- Today is a good day to get reacquainted with those quirky Cousin relationships we enjoyed on TV and big screen when we were kids. Remember Summer reruns? Most vintage movies and many TV sitcoms have been digitized and are available on-demand. Some of our Cousin-themed favorite shows including: Parent Trap, c. 1961 starring Hayley Mills, My Cousin Vinny, c. 1992, starring Joe Pesci, Ralph Macchio, Marisa Tomei, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, c. 1990-1996, starring Will Smith.
- If your cousins live on the opposite coast or the other side of the planet, then you can go digital. Schedule a live reunion hosted on one of the communication tools on your social media platforms or use a webinar provider.
- If you are the least bit curious about who your real blood relatives are and are not today is the day to stick that cotton swab in your cheek and find out. DNA testing will help you identify cousins you never even knew you had. It may be intimidating to think about learning who your long-lost relatives really are, because connecting with our cousins is what National Cousins Day is all about.
FACTS ABOUT COUSINS
- A study by AncestryDNA revealed that the average Brit has more than 193,000 living Cousins (6th cousin or closer) We’re not sure if the average American has this many living cousins, but it makes us wonder how many of us have unwittingly dated one of our cousins.
- Talent often runs in families, and that is true of celebrities. Some talented celebrity cousins we’ve admired over the years include: Singers Whitney Houston and Dionne Warwick who are first cousins, Singer Snoop Dogg is the first cousin of singer Brandy, actress Sissy Spacek and actor Rip Torn are first cousins, and here’s an odd pair: actress Lauren Bacall and Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres are first cousins
- Did you know it is legal to marry your second cousin in all fifty states …but not your first cousin in most States.
- Apparently double cousins are a thing! If two brothers marry two sisters, their children are considered double first cousins.
- Your second cousin is someone who shares the same great-grandparent as you but not the same grandparent.
WHY PEOPLE LOVE NATIONAL COUSINS DAY
- Today gives us a reason to make amends with estranged family, beginning with our cousins. All it takes to patch things up is to just reach out and say hello. National Cousins Day is an excuse to call, email, or track down those long-lost cousins on social media. Regardless of the outcome, making the effort is what counts.
- Our cousins were some of our very first best friends. Growing up we would see our cousins during family get togethers, sharing gossip, and sneak extra snacks while our parents’ backs were turned.
- There is truth behind the age-old maxim: It is more blessed to give than to receive. Telling our favorite cousins how much we appreciate them and how special they are sends out positive vibes that boomerang right back to us. Everyone likes to feel special.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
