Yes, there is a recognized day to remember our cousins which is July 24th. This is followed on July 26th with Aunt / Uncle Day. Anyone working on their family history is generally familiar with their cousins and the siblings of their parents (aunts and uncles).
The nice thing about cousins is that they are of your same generation. They are the children of your aunts and uncles. It is like having siblings, but usually not living in the same house with you. Cousins visit each other on vacations or holidays, can share similar interests and generally like the same things you do. Many times a cousin can also be a really true friend, someone you can confide in and share you joys and disappoints.
You will find cousins work well together on projects like family history research. One cousin might be good with details and having the patience to really solve a family mystery about a great uncle. Another cousin could make contact with genealogical societies and libraries and acquire additional information. There might be the cousin interested in sorting the family collection of photos and getting them labeled. By calling on your cousins, one or two, to assist in the family history research will bring you all closer together and make it less of an overwhelming task. With use of the Internet and email, staying in touch with your cousins is so much easier.
In two days comes Aunt’s and Uncle’s Day on July 26th. It is not the same as would be for Father’s or Mother’s Days, but rather just take that moment to say I love you and you are appreciated. It usually would be an aunt or uncle you could count on to take you to the circus, on a trip, get you that special skirt, etc. This was especially true if that aunt or uncle had no children of their own. You became their surrogate child. Aunts and uncles generally like to spoil their nieces and nephews.
Because aunts and uncles are the siblings of your parents, they can give you some insight about your parents when they were children. It can be surprising how much you don’t know about your mother and father before they became parents. They are also great assistants in compiling the family history. Besides your parents they are the next group of relatives you need to interview and gather family photos, diaries, journals, records, etc. A true gold mine of family information is waiting to be tapped. I know when I started interviewing my father’s youngest brother and the only sibling in that family surviving, I learned quite a bit about my father, other uncles and my grandparents (his parents). Include the aunts and uncles that married into the family. Being of the same generation and knowing some of the other family members, they too can provide new information.
Sayings:
What’s Buzzin Cuzzin?
An aunt is the next best thing to Mom.
An uncle can be your own personal superhero.
< Return To Blog