Family Reunion
Plan a memorable family reunion
A family reunion is a time to reconnect, reminisce and relive cherished memories. By combining unique family reunion ideas with careful planning, you’ll create new memories that will live in your family for years to come and make for a special day for young and old alike.
Planning a Family Reunion
The first thing you have to do to get your family reunion in motion is create a guest list. Calling whoever pops into your head without a comprehensive list is a good way to forget about someone and possibly hurt someone’s feelings. Decide how big you want your reunion to be and pinpoint the place where the line will be drawn between close family members and distant cousins, then use those guidelines to keep a strict limit on your family reunion planning.
On the other hand, if you’re not worried about size or budgetary constraints, don’t hold back. Invite long-lost aunts and cousins, second wives, stepbrothers and in-laws. Of course, planning a large family reunion requires detailed attention to the guest list. If you invite one branch of the family tree, make sure not to forget about the other branches or you may never hear the end of it. If you’re not sure who to send a family reunion invitation to, or if you’re afraid you’ve forgotten someone important, don’t be afraid to ask for the help of close relatives and other family members.
Send out your invitations well in advance of date of the event. As a general rule of thumb, give people at least a month’s notice, and more if possible. This will ensure you’re not disappointed by the turnout. If you’re inviting family members that live out of state, it’s better to allow two months or more. Always ask for an RSVP so that you can tell the catering service how much food to prepare, and remember: a good party never runs out of food. Buffet-style feasts with plenty of items suitable both for standard and vegetarian diets usually work best for large groups.
Family Reunion Activities
Leaving guests with nothing to do once the hellos are over is a surefire way to kill your party and get everyone glancing over their shoulder at the buffet table instead of reuniting with each other. Keep your guests busy and active by having a fun selection of family reunion activities planned in advance. A few common ways to keep everyone having fun are:
- Hire a DJ. Music will keep the party jumping and guests dancing.
- Family reunion games. Plan plenty of games for guests of every age group. Youngsters will have different preferences and abilities than will grandma and grandpa, so make sure you keep all ages in mind when you pick each family reunion game.
- Memorabilia tables. Contact various family members and gather up pictures and heirlooms that can be put on display for everyone to view and talk about at the reunion. When done right, you’ll create an attraction that will be as whimsical and fun as it is emotional and sentimental.
Family Reunion Mementos
Since the goal of the family reunion is to create new memories while reliving old ones, you should consider giving each guest a small memento of the occasion. A family reunion T-shirt with a cute slogan, a commemorative coffee mug or a picture album featuring the day’s highlights will keep the memories you’ve helped create alive and well for decades to come.
