All of my extended family on my dad's side gets together at one cousin's house every Christmas. Naturally, as a jw I never made it. Now they have family reunions at this cousins' place and I've been able to make those and it's great to reconnect with my family. I never officially shunned them, but didn't try much to keep in touch before when a jw. It's nice to feel so free to get back in with the family without having that odd man out feeling. I still don't make their Christmases since I hold Christmas at my house for my daughter, aunt, fil and bil and the grandkids. But I've made the family reunions. And we have a nice Christmas here.  My daughter, the grandkids and us do make Thanksgiving at my brother's and Easter, too, so that's also really neat to be able to make those occassions.  I did make some Thanksgivings as a jw, but had gotten away from it until my nieces' grandfather died, so I felt they needed more family there, so began attending again as a jw, but now I'm free to go to that and Easter, which is wonderful.  I hope you can connect with some extended family through your search.  Good luck on that.

Last Edited By: Cacky Aug 21 13 1:00 PM. Edited 1 times.