My cousins and I have been trying to create new traditions for our kids since we all live far from where we grew up, but we keep defaulting to elaborate logistics instead of actually talking about what we want these gatherings to mean. The kids have fun but we adults feel like we're performing family instead of creating it.
More people experience this than they realize.
Extended family members are substituting event planning for the harder work of defining what they want their relationships to become.
“Where Are You with The examined community life?”
If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.