On July 24th, the world—or at least the more emotionally chaotic parts of it—celebrates National Cousins Day, a joyous occasion that gives us permission to text our cousins and remind them of the time we all almost got banned from grandma’s Thanksgiving. National Cousins Day is the one time of year where shouting inside jokes and unearthing embarrassing childhood photos isn’t just acceptable—it’s tradition. And just like a good family reunion, this holiday comes with laughter, nostalgia, and possibly an awkward game of charades.
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What Exactly Is National Cousins Day?
At its core, National Cousins Day honors the quirky, unfiltered, and often mischievous relationships we share with our cousins. Whether they’re your day-one ride-or-die or that person you only see when someone says “open bar,” cousins hold a unique space in our hearts and our group chats.
Celebrated every July 24th, National Cousins Day isn’t just a hashtag-friendly moment of social media sentimentality. It’s a full-on zinger of a holiday—a chance to relive old pranks, revisit shared trauma from family weddings, and yes, finally ask where Uncle Tony disappeared to in 2009.
A Brief History of Cousin Camaraderie
The history of National Cousins Day isn’t as well documented as Thanksgiving or Arbor Day, but let’s not hold that against it. While no formal act of Congress exists to recognize it, this day emerged in the early 2000s as a grassroots movement powered by nostalgia, sibling-like bonds, and a love for chaotic group selfies.
In fact, anthropologists argue that the role of cousins in human culture has always been significant. In ancient tribes, cousins were often raised communally. In royal families? They were usually married off to each other, which, to be honest, kind of ruined the vibe. Thankfully, today’s cousin bonds focus more on FaceTiming during awkward family dinners and less on cementing political alliances.
Cousins: Built-In Best Friends (with Dirt on You)
Think about it. Cousins are the perfect mix of friend and family. They know your secrets but aren’t quite as legally obligated to snitch as your siblings. They grew up with the same weird uncles, endured the same overcooked ham, and watched the same embarrassing VHS tapes of your childhood dance recitals.
They’re the ones who taught you how to swear quietly. They’re the ones who helped you hide that broken lamp. They’re the only ones who still remember that you used to insist on being called “Laser Commander Steve.”
So yes, National Cousins Day deserves our full attention—if not for their unwavering loyalty, then for the fact that they helped you survive every boring family reunion with a smuggled pack of Skittles and a well-timed fart joke.
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How to Celebrate National Cousins Day Like a Pro
Need ideas to honor this chaotic, caffeine-fueled bond?
- Blast from the Past: Share old childhood photos online (with their permission… or not).
- Memory Lane Marathon: Call your cousins and reminisce about all the dumb things you got away with.
- Cousin Olympics: Compete to see who remembers the most family gossip.
- Zoom Party: If you’re far apart, bring the chaos to the internet. Add games, trivia, and questionable karaoke.
And if you’re lucky enough to live near your cousins, go ahead and grab tacos, beers, or whatever nostalgic snack you both obsessed over in 2006.
Pop Culture’s Favorite Cousins
From Will and Carlton on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air to Margo and Todd in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (yes, they count), pop culture has always shown us that cousins are either our partners in crime or our polite rivals.
Cousins are responsible for shaping our tastes in music, movies, and mayhem. Without them, who else would have introduced you to Linkin Park, “Clueless,” or the concept of toilet-papering someone’s house?
National Cousins Day: A Zinger of a Celebration
National Cousins Day is not just another calendar filler—it’s a certified zinger of a celebration that brings warmth, laughter, and a healthy dose of chaos. Whether your cousin is your BFF, your secret nemesis, or that person you send memes to at 2 a.m., take time on this day to honor the beautifully bizarre relationship you share.
So go ahead—send that cringy TikTok, resurrect that embarrassing nickname, and let your cousin know they’re appreciated. Because life is better with cousins, and National Cousins Day is proof that family love doesn’t always need to be polished—it just needs to be real, ridiculous, and relentlessly fun.
