The season of family reunions!

Hi neighbors. The summer season has already hit with heat, mugginess and things to do. People will be traveling for fun-filled vacations and for family reunions. It's that time of year!

As the week between two holidays, this is similar to the week between Christmas and New Year's Day. Father's Day has passed and the Fourth of July weekend is not yet here. Perfect time for get-togethers with family.

The annual Malcom Family Reunion, dubbed Just Bcuzins, will be held today, Saturday, at the local rental home The Gathering Place. If you are related to a Malcom or distaff offshoot of that family line, be sure to call that establishment to find out more about the activities.

I enjoy family reunions! With a large family of aunts and uncles, family reunions occurred almost weekly at my grandmother's house. Everyone would help with the cooking: grilling, making ice-cream from real cream, sugar, vanilla extract, eggs, fresh strawberries, ice and salt -- so good! Doing the churning was a job relegated to the older cousins and younger uncles.

The older uncles were in charge of grilling and cutting watermelons. Younger cousins helped make noodles and carried in more wood for Granny's old wood cooking stove. Staying out of the kitchen as much as possible was the best plan all around in the summer heat.

Family reunions are sometimes organized and a 'game plan' formatted to get as much family changes information as possible. Almost all extended families have to 'check in' at family reunions and tell their stories of the last year's happening since the last family reunion.

Family members from many states gather and exchange information on who has gotten married, had a baby, joined the military, came home from the military, graduated from the school they had been attending, etc.

Those who have moved must bring photos or a slide show of their new home. Children in sports or other school activities where they won an award must bring photos of those achievements. Anniversary celebrations for wedded family members are re-celebrated by the whole family. New in-laws must be introduced.

Family members who were ill during the year are examined and encouraged by all the rest of the family. Babies are passed around for endless kisses, cooings and "oh, such a pretty baby!" followed by comments on which family member the baby looks most like.

Which children lost teeth, started cutting teeth, or had a lot of dental word done were discussed.

Since each family has at least one genealogist, family members are questioned about birth dates, marriage dates and death dates. Anyone who has died in the family is remembered and obituaries and funeral home remembrance cards are shared.

There are always tons of photos brought by each family of the past year's events. Newly found photos of ancestors are shared, by being scanned or copies made. The inevitable family tree is displayed with younger children encouraged to find their names and follow it back to the eldest person at the reunion.

Stories of funny happenings, accidents and work changes are exchanged.

Anything that relates to each family's past year is shared amongst all the other family members. This becomes more exciting if each family shares their stories with everyone at the same time. That way all families hear every story. Table talk only works if everyone can hear every person talking.

The family meal all together is a good time for chitchat and exchanging recopies and informal snap shots to be taken. Good photos of the youngest members to the eldest are often created when they least expect to be photographed!

After the meal, most families play games of one type or another. Then it's time for formal photographs!

Family groups, siblings, cousins, oldest family members there, new babies, first time reunion attendees, etc.

Finally arrangements are made for the next reunion; emails, addresses, phone numbers are all exchanged. As people clean up the area, out door games are held to keep the children out of the dining area. Finally amid hugs, promises of keeping in touch and last minute goodbyes are exchanged. Another family reunion is over.

Until the next time friends remember, there's no greater gift than family. Have fun!