Plan a Family Reunion Everyone Wants to Attend
Families Get Together to Share Memories, Fun and the Family Story
Jan 22, 2009
Americans love reunions. Family Reunion Handbook, by Barbara E. Brown, Ohio, Betterway Books, 1998, reports that 200,000 families hold reunions every year in the U.S. In 80% of family reunions, the chief planner is a woman over 40. The average attendance for a family reunion is 40.
Tips from an Expert on Family Reunions
On his helpful Reunion Tips web site, researcher Tom Ninkovich says the three major things to keep in mind a successful family reunion are:
- Start Early: Begin the planning a year ahead, so that families can fit the date into their vacation schedule at work.
- Show the kids a good time: plan enough activities for all ages, and keep in mind the kids will see this as a big party
- Tell the Family story: make sure people plan to bring plenty of photos, scrapbooks, videos, memorabilia and other collectibles that tell the family story
Tips from a Family Member Reunion Planner
Donna Maurillo, a transportation analyst from Scotts Valley, California, has planned two family reunions. She used the My Event web site to build a family site everyone could use to help plan the reunion. “It was an easy template to use, and everyone could follow the planning process, upload old or current family photos, and help create a family tree.”
- Start by asking everyone if this is a good year for them. If there is not enough interest, try to postpone it until there is.
- Ask for ideas on what they would like to do, and the range of what they can spend.
- Put planning details online. This prevents having to repeat everything, and the information will stay consistent. The My Event site has pages for posting hotel information, photos, activities, responses, and headcounts. It allows you to do email blasts with a way to tally responses.
- Offer a choice of dates. Try to include a holiday weekend so there is more driving time for those far away. It could also be scheduled on an elderly family member’s special birthday.
- Divide the work. There may be two or three who do the most work, but parcel out jobs to as many others as possible. People help support what they help create.
- Plan games for the reunion day: sack races, softball games, skits, etc. and give inexpensive prizes. Make sure there is time for people to tell family stories, and ask each person in advance to tell something important or funny that they remember about the family. Play slide shows, videos or Power Point ® presentations made by family members. Be sure to have one person be the official reunion videographer
- .If the family is coming from out of town, plan additional activities, such as attending a local ballgame, a Sunday morning church service, a pool party, a pizza party, or a shopping to an outlet mall.
- Find logo T-shirts, name tags, banners, balloons, and order small prizes or favors on which you can have the family name printed, to hand out.
One Last Tip: Make Sure Everyone Pays
On a spread sheet or your planning Web site, keep track of who pays in advance. Issue paper bracelets as people come in. Those who haven’t paid can then pay at the door.
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