How to Organize a Family Reunion

A family reunion is a great means of reuniting long lost family members and catching up on who's who in the family. It is a good excuse for family members who are often too busy leading their own lives to take a little time to spend with their extended families.

The fact that we only see some of our family occasionally is, unfortunately, part of our busy lives. So, setting aside one day or a weekend for a family reunion is a wonderful idea. It gives us time to catch up on what our family members are doing and what's going in their lives.

However, planning a family reunion does take some time and well, planning. Usually one or two people end up doing the majority of the work and planning. But, hey, every group needs a leader. And part of being a leader is knowing how to delegate tasks. So if you end up being the leader or organizer, just make a list and start handing out chores and duties.

The first step is choosing the best day or weekend for the reunion. Keep in mind that you can never please everybody. Someone will complain or say they can't be there. I actually sent out several dates to see which one got the most votes. And, majority rules. Besides, if people really want to come, they will try to rearrange their schedule for that one weekend.

Start planning as soon as possible, at least three to six months ahead if possible. It will take time to get all the details worked out. And keep your family informed. Send out monthly or bi-monthly bulletins on the progress of the planning. You can do this by email to the ones who have internet, which is just about everyone. If someone doesn't have email, just drop them a note in the mail. This helps keep everyone interested and may lead to volunteers to help.

The location is also as important as the date. Try to pick a central location or if not, a location that is convenient for as many as possible. If family members will be coming in from out of town, locate nearby motels and include directions, prices, and locations of motels in your bulletins.

After the location is picked, start planning the day's activities. Have some activities planned for both children and adults. Plan games that are fun and entertaining. Some examples are sack races, scavenger hunts, and family ball games.

But don't forget the older generation. They need some forms of entertainment also. Plan some sit down games such as checkers or chess tournaments. Another great game is the memory game. It starts out with "Do you remember which family member did this?" This game will lead to a lot of reminiscing about past relatives.

This is where being a leader comes into play. Choose at least two people to be in charge of games and activities. And just check in with them to see if they are getting everything planned. Invite them to add a list of games and activities to your bulletins.

Let your activity planners pick up a few cheap gifts for prizes and maybe some cheap blue ribbons or medals. Kids love winning prizes and so do many adults. Make sure you include a prize for the oldest and the youngest.

And then we come to the menu. Get someone to help you plan this if possible. It's just a lot easier for two people. Send out a bulletin and ask people what they would like to bring. Once you get a list of the dishes, you and your helper can go through it and see exactly what else you will need. Some people may ask about just sending money. That is a great way to buy paper products, condiments, and extra hotdog or hamburger buns and meat.

Once you have your list compiled, verify it back with the senders. Ask them to bring an additional dish of something that you chose from your list of needs. And don't forget things like drinks and ice. If possible, find a company that has an ice machine and see if they will let you get several coolers of ice. Things like this can help save money.

Last, don't forget the family mementos. Ask everyone to bring old photos or items they think will be of interest. Try to set up a display area for the mementos.

And as your last duty, try to pick or get someone to volunteer to be next year's organizer. If you do a good job, your family reunion will be a great success and everyone will look forward to next year's.