An unknown author once said, "A cousin is a ready-made friend for life." July 24 is Cousins Day. This day is designed to help us spend time with our cousins and get to know one another a little better. Some of us are lucky and live near to our extended family, while others live far away and know very little about each other and the type of person he or she is. If you or your children don't spend much time with your cousins, use this unique holiday as the perfect excuse to get in touch and communicate. Here are several ways you can celebrate Cousins Day, even if you don't live nearby.
Use technology
Technology is the perfect tool for reaching out to those who live far away. Social networking sites can help you stay updated on the events in each other's daily lives. They are also an excellent way to instant message, share content and write letters to one another.
Blogs are another option for sharing stories and photos. You can follow one another's blog, or create a family blog that everyone can access and post photos and stories on.
Skype is another useful tool that allows you to have a more personal relationship with your extended family. When using Skype, you can enjoy face-to-face communication with one another while being hundreds of miles apart. You can also use texting as a way to say a quick hello to your cousins and email can be a useful tool to easily communicate and stay up to date with one another.
Create cards
If you have young children, let them use their creativity and create cards for their cousins. Pull out the art supplies and let them create a variety of cards. And, when the cards are complete, immediately place them in the mail. Cards and letters often sit on our counters for days, weeks or even months. Create the cards and mail them the same day to ensure they arrive in a timely manner.
Be willing to sacrifice
Be willing to give up a day of working on your to-do list to visit your family. Even if you have to drive several miles to reach your extended family members, be willing to make the sacrifice. And sometimes, you have to suck up your pride and make amends before you can establish a relationship with your cousins. Family feuds occur and sometimes they can have lasting effects. If a fight has happened between your extended family, ask for forgiveness and put the past behind you. Even if all you do is ask forgiveness and try to establish a relationship with your family members, Cousins Day will be a large success.
Your cousins are family. They truly can become some of your best friends. Put forth a little effort and get to know one another. And if something has come between your families, do all you can to make amends. Enjoy spending time with your cousins. Learn to love them. They are your ready-made friends for life.
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