Ah, this is an interesting debate here.

I grew up thousands of kilometres away from blood family. I have first cousins I have barely met but once that I have no clue about now that we are adults. But, as a consequence, I also grew up with aunts and uncles who really are of no relation at all.

When I married my second husband and took on the role of full-time parent to his son, I for a time considered myself every bit his real mother. Circumstances gradually changed that to the point I am now quite happily estranged from the now grown man. Now, even though my children have always been close to their biological father they still consider their step-father a father too.

Yes, it is all quite complicated. I am with another man now, one I feel closer to and more love for than his predecessors. He comes with family too. Do I consider them to be family? Rather loosely is the way I would describe it. They are 'family' yet not quite family to me if that makes any sense.

Meanwhile, it has been 50 years and I still consider those close friends of my parents close family. I still refer to them as Uncle this and Aunt that.