National Cousins Day

National Cousins Day for the year 2023 is celebrated/observed on Monday, July 24th. There are until the next observance.

Every July 24, National Cousins Day appears on the calendar and is the ideal time to show some affection to those family members we name cousins. Cousins are the folks that made family gatherings pleasurable—or at least more palatable and less embarrassing—when we were youngsters, whether they were our first best friend or our first enemy. Whether near or distant cousins, friends or adversaries, those of us who are fortunate enough to still have cousins should consider commemorating them today.

📆 When is National Cousins Day?

This year, National Cousins Day is on July 24th. It is the 4th Monday in July; in 2024, it is on Wednesday.

→ Did you know: According to AncestryDNA, the typical Brit has more than 193,000 surviving relatives (6th cousin or closer). We’re not sure how many living cousins the typical American has, but it makes us wonder how many of us have unknowingly dated one of our cousins.

You can also discover all fun things you didn’t know about and facts about July 24, 2023.

📜 History of National Cousins Day

Since the earliest pioneers left the protection of the colonies and came west in search of fame, money, and—most importantly—land, American families have gotten together for reunions. Cousins took over the job of keeping family relationships alive when one generation passed on the job to the next.

Cousins frequently reach out to one another later in life and rediscover the common experiences of being related, even in families where regular reunions are no longer held. It might not be necessary to set up a certain day on your calendar to keep in touch with your cousins if you grew up as closest friends or if you were like brothers and sisters. Celebrating cousinship requires a bit more work if you come from a small family or one where the wanderlust gene is predominant and you’re not quite sure where all your cousins ran off to years ago. It could be necessary to mark National Cousins Day on your calendar each year as a justification for greeting your childhood cousins.

However, seeing a family member again after being made to eat at the kids’ table together is usually an intriguing and sentimental reunion. You can see where your life has led you, the families you’ve built, the occupations you’ve pursued, and the changes in your appearance through time.

☑️ National Cousins Day facts

✅ All in the family
Celebrities are no exception. Talent generally runs in families. We’ve always loved these amazing celebrity cousins: Singers Whitney Houston and Dionne Warwick are first cousins, as is singer Snoop Dogg. Actress Sissy Spacek and actor Rip Torn are also first cousins, and here’s an unusual pairing: actress Lauren Bacall and Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres are first cousins.

✅ Maybe not all in the family
In all fifty states, it is allowed to marry your second cousin… but not your first cousin in most states.

✅ Double Cousins
It appears that double cousins exist! When two brothers marry two sisters, their offspring become double first cousins.

✨ Things to do on National Cousins Day

⚡ Binge-watch cousin-themed reruns
Today is a nice day to reminisce about the odd cousin connections we saw on TV and in movies when we were young. Do you remember summer reruns? The majority of classic films and several TV sitcoms have been digitized and are now available on demand. Some of our favorite cousin-themed movies include: The Parent Trap, c. Hayley Mills; My Cousin Vinny, c. 1961. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, starring Joe Pesci, Ralph Macchio, and Marisa Tomei, premiered in 1992. Will Smith starred in 1990–1996.

⚡ Host a digital National Cousins Day reunion
If your cousins reside on the other side of the country or the other side of the world, go digital. Plan a live reunion using one of the communication technologies available on social media networks, or employ a webinar service.

⚡ Send your DNA off to be tested

📅 National Cousins Day Observances

Discover all July holidays, including Relationship and other Appreciation holidays.

We will continue to update this page with new information and interesting facts about National Cousins Day. So be sure to check back soon.