I come from a fairly average-sized immediate family. There are my parents and my brother, sister, and me. My extended family, however, is altogether a different story. My dad has two siblings and my mom has eleven, which results in two different experiences at each side's family get-togethers. I have 18 first cousins, and honestly, I can't really keep track of any other cousins besides my first cousins, and even then, I still have problems remembering birthdays. Having a large family is something that I sometimes take for granted, although it's always fun to shock people with how large my mom's side of the family is. Here are 10 signs you come from a large family.
1. There is no such thing as a quiet get-together.
It's going to be loud and there will be at least three different conversations going on in the same room. For some people who don't come from big families, it's a little disorienting and overwhelming, but for those who come from large families, it's normal and sometimes you even jump from one conversation to another.
2. Remembering birthdays is impossible without a calendar.
Seriously, calendars and Facebook are your friends when you're in a large family. And even then, it's sometimes a struggle.
3. There will be a Christmas list.
It would be way too expensive to buy a gift for everyone, and there's no good way to just buy gifts for a couple of your favorite relatives, so there you probably will draw names so you only buy one gift instead of 36.
4. Birthday celebrations will probably be celebrated in joint parties.
Especially with months that have a lot of family birthdays, it's way easier to celebrate two, or more, at the same time. Plus, it's easier to coordinate with everyone's busy schedule and not as much cake.
5. There will be way too much food.
When cooking for a large family, more is usually better. Big families take cooking for an army seriously and you will not leave any family get-together hungry. If you do, you're doing it wrong.
6. Every get-together will be a potluck
That way there will be enough food and it's much more cost-effective when cooking for a large group of people. Everyone contributes and there's definitely going to be something there that even the pickiest of eaters will enjoy.
7. Your idea of small get-togethers is much different from other people's.
Fifteen people is a small group of people to me, which is odd to people without large families. When you're used to upwards of 30 people, 15 is a small group.
8. People don't believe how big your family is/that your uncle isn't your brother.
This happens, mostly to my sister, but it still happens. Yes, there are strange age gaps, but that doesn't mean that they're my sibling. Sometimes it takes a little convincing. There are usually a few questions when you say that you're from a big family.
9. You have to say bye to everyone before you leave.
You always have to factor in extra time to say goodbye to everyone before you leave any family get-together. There's always that one person that takes forever to say goodbye too. Also, if you don't say goodbye, people will be upset.
10. You don't know what you'd do without your big family.
Although they are very loud and nosy, family get-togethers would be completely different and boring without all of their craziness. Even though they sometimes drive you nuts, you still love them.
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