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Holding a regularly scheduled family reunion can be wonderful way to strengthen your family ties and make traditions and memories that you will always remember. Although you can make your reunion any kind of recreational gathering you want, there are a few ideas that can help the gathering be successful.
Before the reunion a newsletter should be sent out to each member or to the heads of the family to notify their own children and married grandchildren of the event. The newsletter can include a schedule of events as well as a list of items that they should bring. Attach a map of the area if necessary.
FEEDING LARGE GROUPS
If your extended family reunion is even half the size of our immediate family - you will have a very large number of people to feed.
Meals can be provided in several different ways. Everyone can fend for themselves or perhaps they can bring their own drinks and a side dish to share with others while the family organization provides the main course.
If your family reunion is at a campsite, packing and preserving enough food for the trip can be a hassle as well as expensive. Some camping reunion families choose to assign a different meal to each family. This is a fun option that will get each campsite visited, a different one for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner. I would suggest assigning the smaller families the least expensive meals or perhaps two families can double up on hosting a meal.
The USDA has a handbook called Planning Food For Institutions that can give you ideas on how much food is required for large groups. Many good cookbooks will also offer a guide for large quantities. Choose menus that require little preparation time or that can be prepared ahead of time and simply warmed before serving.
FAMILY BUSINESS
If you do not already have a delegated family president you will want to elect one as well as a secretary/treasurer for publishing newsletters and handling family funds. A historian can also be appointed to update the family on genealogy and family history.
Plan to have a meeting at a scheduled time during the reunion to discuss family business matters. Discussions could be about arranging care for an elderly family member or how to set up a family trust.
I recommend that you run the meeting in a semi formal manner allowing participants to vote on proposals democratically. Be sure and vote on when to hold the reunions to ensure that most people can participate.
One year our family made this business meeting more fun by ending with a dessert contest where each family brings a dutch-oven dessert and the best overall treat received a prize before we enjoyed eating the contest submissions.
FAMILY FUNDS
Reunions can be expensive and having a checking or savings account for family funds can help in renting camping or resort facilities for the family use or providing food and recreational options at the gatherings. Money can be raised with family dues or in other creative ways. Our family enjoys having an auction of home-made items, raffling a quilt, donated antique or other valuable item. Our family has a talented painter so she was commissioned to paint a picture of a loved ancestor, this was a very successful money maker. Making a family cookbook continues to be a good fundraising idea as well.
If you have a good photographer in the family, offer family pictures for a reasonable price. Our family used this idea as an activity where family members could dress up in provided period clothing and props. The black and white photo was a recreation of an authentic family dated hundreds of years ago.
ACTIVITIES AND GAMES
Talking and reminiscing with family members is an important part of the reunion but activities and games can help bond new relationships as well. I suggest that you have games organized by age group so that all family members can get involved.
We like to have an arts and crafts afternoon for young children to create make and take projects. Even simple projects can be a hit. You can use a washtub, dishsoap and plastic ring or funnel to have a bubble blowing station. Or cover the tables with butcher paper and let the kids draw, color or stamp with unusual art mediums.
Teenagers are entertained playing human foosball with inexpensive pvc pipes and a large rubber ball. Or how about a treasure hunt with candy or other prizes?
Traditional activities could include a watermelon bust or footraces ran by age group. Most families hold a skit night or talent show as well. You will need to provide lighting, piano keyboard and battery operated cd player, tape recorder and microphone for best results. If you are camping, keep a bonfire going and offer marshmallows and roasters too!
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