Ever since I was little little little my family would travel to Arizona every year around Christmas time. We had to schedule a full week because of all the friends and family who had claims on us for holiday get-togethers.

Now that I’m married and living in California again, we only have time go back to Arizona for a couple days, but still have the claims of a week’s worth of holiday get-togethers.

This year, Andrew and I headed out to Arizona early Saturday morning and I arrived just in time for a family party with my mom’s family – my aunts, uncles, grandma, etc.

Of course, with disjointed modern families like ours, I was only actually related by blood to maybe 40% of the guests. But no matter. Family is family, regardless of how you get there.

My cute 86-years-old-and-still-feisty grandmother:

A food-themed gift exchange:

My weird brother and my cute husband:

We played Apples to Apples with something like 12 or 14 people:

and a fire-pit out front:

We still did ‘Christmas’ with just my immediate family the next day, but it was nice seeing aunts/uncles/cousins that I hadn’t seen in a while …

Do you all get together with family every year for the holidays?