only if the dog is female.

Agreed. I used to really beat myself up about being the only single one at family gatherings. All of my cousins are married (even the ones younger than me) except one that we don't see often. It's really stressful. But I just try to stay positive saying the right person will come when the time is right.

11, there's no such thing as "the right person". you just have to settle for something

No relationship is perfect, but you can meet somewhere where accepting their flaws doesn't feel like settling.

I took it to mean the OP will go to the family gathering, but she suspects everybody will naturally pair off throughout the day, leaving her with the dog.

I didn't mean to sound like I'm sulking. Just naturally the couples will stay together and have conversations that I can't relate to. This usually leaves me with no social participation and makes for a pretty boring day. I love both my sister's boyfriend and sister-in-law and don't mean to say that I wish either were gone. Also, our family has a very sweet, loving, and sadly high-maintenance dog, so it's probably for the better that I'm there to make sure he gets his medicines throughout the day. I hope that clears up the FML a little! Happy holidays!

Still a YDI. There's always a way to make conversation. Bring up Christmases past or what you each plan to do for the new year. Just because yours may not involve the same things as theirs, doesn't mean there is nothing to talk about

Oh my god, piss off #21. How does knowing that you're likely to be excluded from conversation or at the very least have to force conversation that you can be a part of mean that OP deserves it?

Really #21? It's obviously you're looking for the tiniest reason to fault OP. Making conversations, is good. However, doing so because you know your family will exclude you from group conversations otherwise, is not so good.