I like them. It’s fun if you only see them once a year. If nothing else, enjoy the pets, food, and drink:)

Yeh. Some families do like each other, despite the internets effort to make us believe otherwise.

Yes, I like my extended family.

Do you like hanging out with friends? Imagine you're also related to them.

They were a thing when I was a kid, but ever since the generation that organised them has passed away, they've stopped happening. I do kinda missed them. I thought they were weird as a kid without much close family, but I still enjoyed them.

I think there are many sliding scales that apply simultaneously. One is age. I used to look forward to this sort of thing when I was a kid and the enthusiasm has decreased since then at the pace of a falling parabola. To a point where I moved far away. Number of certifiable assholes present is another one. If you can hide with the good guys, it's okay. If there is no way to escape, it sucks. These days are held to please that part of the family which is closer to death of natural causes. So another sliding scale is how much do you want to please your elders. How is the food? That might be worth it alone. And as a last example, how much do you like your relatives? Configure these sliders and you get your opinion. Anything from absolutely hating it to loving every minute is possible and no opinion wrong.

Some people do, but it depends on the family. The families that do it are generally a set of large friend groups.

My best friend has an amazing extended family who vacations together. It's like 30+ people and almost all of them get along.

I'd be ok never seeing my extended family again. Not that I hate them, I just...don't really know them. There was some drama in the boomer generation which denied everyone who came after those family connections

My family generally only does this for weddings and funerals. So it's rare, and there's a "theme" so to speak.

Yes, some people have wonderful families.

Others don't.

I've found it to be a more and more positive experience as I get older. Not due to increasing wisdom or anything, just changes in how I prioritize connection and my skill at socializing with people I don't actually know super well.

When our grands were alive, yes. Not since they passed. All parents on both sides were extremely selfish.

They are often very fun and you get to see people you normally don't get to see! It's nice to catch up with everybody, and gatherings usually come with very good food toom You also have excitement of the celebration of a holiday, being able to share that with your extended family is awesome!

Of course, it's not all sunshine and rainbows, sometimes one of my older relatives will go on about something (nothing racist or anything, more about manners, etiquette, tradition, etc., but they seem to never stop talking!) and I have just have to respectfully listen. It is definitely outweighed by all the fun stuff though!