Share with Aunt Bessie’s why family gatherings are the best - chance to win £300 NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

We all know family gatherings can sometimes be a bit stressful but that in the main they are a great way to catch up with loved ones. The team at Aunt Bessie’s would love to hear how you make your family get togethers work for everyone - from the youngest member to the oldest. What role does food play in your gatherings - who does the prep (and who washes up)? What about location, do you like to visit your MILs or do you like hosting yourselves? How often do you get a family gathering on the go - once a year at Christmas or every week?

What’s the best thing which has happened in your family gathering and what memories do you have of gatherings when you were a child? Do you have any traditions you have stuck with or new habits you have come to enjoy?

Aunt Bessie’s say “a proper family gathering is about more than just food – it’s the shared experiences and the bringing together of loved ones that turn a simple meal into something truly special. So we’d love to hear your stories and traditions!”

Add your story for great family gatherings below and you will be entered into a prize draw where one person will win a £300 Love2Shop voucher.

Thanks and good luck

MNHQ
Standard Insight T and Cs apply

[Monkeymops]

The same old 'humiliating stories we share about each other even though we have all heard them a million times - they still make us all laugh! And the same old debates - should baked beans be on a roast dinner? But lots of laughs and feel good times.

[glennamy]

We made a rule early on for our family mealtimes... Absolutely no gadgets allowed at the table, this includes the adults, they are so distracting... It was hard for my other half as they are on call 24/7 for work related issues but he just switches off his mobile and home phone until we are finished! :)

[daisyduck123]

We have a big family gathering on the first week in December.. well it's more of a gathering of the clan ! we book a huge table in a restaurant as there are usually about 40 of us and none of our homes are large enough!

[daisyduke66]

A small, close family gathering is a joy :) everyone 'mucks in' with food prep, perhaps a buffet type, or alternatively a take away. It's a chance to chat and enjoy each other's company. Don't really do extended family gatherings at all.

[alibabbaskeggy]

I always do the cooking...with a glass of something alcohol in hand. By the time everyone is tucking inn im rather sozzled and can chill and watch every one merrily stuff there faces :-)

[pockledigg]

I hide a walnut in the stuffing balls. Whoever gets it does the washing up. Completely random and no arguements over 'unfair treatment'!

[Halebeke425]

Family live far away but we love to host everyone, usually in the school holidays and of course, Christmas time. We are lucky they are not too stressful and it's best when everyone chips in with kitchen work etc. The children entertain themselves with their relatives that they don't see too often which is nice

[TracyKNixon]

My family all live very close so have regular family gatherings, usually at my parents home for bbqs or on the beach/in the countryside for picnics during the Summer, We also meet regularly for 'walkies', as we all have dogs and it is nice to see them play together too!

[Elizasmum02]

i always host christmas dinner and its generally relxing, its beforehand thats the issue. my tradition is turkey where as my husband come from abroad and they have pork which i cant stand but i always end up giving in and having just veg. this year ive decided they will eat whats put in front of them!

[alabaster002]

The annual Christmas Quiz invokes ridicule and respect at the same time! We have been doing this so long that those who were young children when we began now have children of their own. So, switch off the TV, put away the social media and start question-setting.

[EasterRobin]

Family meals are great for making everyone feel included as all of the family enjoy eating... There aren't many things that toddlers, teens and grandparents all enjoy doing!

[tallandlong]

i love the whole family at the table, no devices or phones, just family chatter

[mave]

I love a big family gathering especially at Christmas, you can't beat it. I usually stick to a hot and cold buffet as much easier when lots of people, it's fab to see everyone together for a catch up!

[ThemisA]

Once a week we have always gone to my Mums for an evening meal, usually mid week and my eldest son loved to debate so we used to split into teams and debate different positions ie. Does God exist, is it ever ethical to eat animal products and we randomly selected which side we had to debate. My father is a real carnivore and our funniest one was when he debated on the side of veganism very persuasively as he tucked into his roast beef! I as a vegan had to argue for eating meat.

[wjanice121]

We have 'family date night' once every 4 - 6 weeks which entails going to a pub/restaurant for a meal as a family. My mum's children all live in different towns/cities (myself being almost 100 miles away) so its nice to get together, chat, our children getting to play with their cousins etc.

[amyhalliday1]

Christmas is our favourite- we wear hats and play silly games xxx

[123hartley123]

It's the one time of year when all the family actually sits down for a meal together, everyone enjoys the crackers and the corny jokes.

[vonniebab2]

We love a family gathering always lots of catching up and laughter, I prefer to do a large family roast I find it easier and less time consuming than a buffet

[towser44]

We always invite our parents round and we get a big takeaway so that no-one has to cook and we can just enjoy the company with some nice food which we wouldn't ordinarily order if it was just the 3 of us doing so.

[AnimalAddict]

I always love family gatherings. It's a great time to catch up, have a laugh and relax :)

[lizd31]

I live 130 miles away from my family & I'm disabled & housebound so can't travel alone on public transport to visit them so I have to get a taxi each time which costs a fortune so I can't see them very often so it's very special when I do. We always have a big family gathering, all four generations together &, as my Mum has Alzheimers, her short term memory is non existent but her long term memory is brilliant so we love to recall all the funny & happy memories from her past as it's wonderful to see how happy it makes her.

[lovemyflipflops]

Our tradition is go 'go to mums' for Christmas as she has a large
kitchen, and me being one of 7 we had a large kitchen dining table, which has seen many many gatherings, As mum is not as young as she used to be for the last 4 years, mum has bought the turkey and dealt with that wonderfully (she has the magic touch with a big bird !) my sister brings the starter, her speciality Thai fishcakes with her home made chilli sauce. we buy as much frozen as we can for the veg - it just takes the strain off mum, so it's frozen sprouts, peas, carrots and the famous aunt Bessie's roasties ! I bring the pudding which is a family fave ! my sherry satsuma soaked trifle. To share the load and not worry about all that peeling and under and overcooking of veg makes the big day so much less stressful. WTG Aunt Bessie

[MakeTeaNotWar]

As a child in Ireland in the early 80s, my favourite part of the week was Sunday morning. First had to endure mass which was a chore but after that, we spent the rest of the day at my Nanny and Granddad's house. My dad is one of 14 so it was like a party every week with my aunties and uncles, their spouses and my cousins - a huge gathering in a tiny house, with mugs of tea, everyone smoking and the kids having a ball in the garden.

[AR2012]

For us its getting the whole family round the table for a lovely meal and catching up on each others lives.

[happysouls]

Our nicest tradition is our Christmas Eve afternoon curry cook! We shop in the morning and then in the afternoon the Christmas lights go on, the playlist is set up and we spend the afternoon dancing around the kitchen cooking up a wonderful big batch of curry from scratch. We eat this on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. It has become a really nice part of the festivities and the cooking together is really good fun!