Family Reunions

Let me say up front that today's blog in no way intends to be a put down or demeaning, I love all my family and I am a firm believer in family rituals but sometimes you just have to be amused at some of the things you see.
Today was our yearly family reunion and it is an understatement to say I'm not overly fond of family reunions and by family reunions I mean the ones where you gather with very extended family members once a year, at the same place and do the same things. These are the same family members that you will run into at Walmart next week and not even recognize! Let me give you a tongue-in-cheek look at some of our rituals.

1. No family reunion is legitimate without the required family reunion t-shirt that looks similar to the one above (no this is not my family, but the similarity is scary). You must buy the shirt so that the proceeds will go to pay for next year's reunion...a t-shirt you will never wear again unless absolutely everything else is dirty.
2. The same elderly male cousin I'll call "forgetful" that walks up to you every year and says, "You're new, my name is xxxx, I'm xxxxxx's great grandson, who are you related to?
3. The loud talking, gum chewing female cousin I call "ditzy" that wears a crazy hat every year.
4. The silent auction...again to raise money for next year's reunion, some hot items in the silent auction are the crocheted slippers, crocheted potholders, Dollar Store pillar candles and jars of homemade jelly.
5. The very blunt great aunt "miss straightforward" who just has to comment, "oh honey, you've put on a little weight since last year!
6. The "picture taker"..now don't get me wrong, I love taking pictures and do it all the time..but this "picture taker" always seems to catch you with your mouth full of food, or a picture of you from behind as you bend over to pick up your dropped napkin or he wants you to put your arm around your "husband" and the guy standing next to you is someone you've never met.
7. No family reunion is complete without the "bragger" who just built a brand new millon dollar house or bought a Hummer for each of his kids.
8. We mustn't overlook the "prize winners" these are the people that get a key chain with the family crest imprinted for traveling the furtherest distance to get to this yearly family reunion, or a camoflauge cap for correctly guessing the number of M & M's in the jar.

Oh well, I guess I've shared enough. I'd love to know if any of you share the same "rituals" at your family reunions! And by the way, I overheard them say that next year the silent auction items were going to be bigger...maybe flashlights and ice coolers....I can't wait!