How to Have a Fun and Interactive Family Reunion

 

I recently received an email from a family reunion organizer who was elected as her family historian and was also serving as the president of their upcoming reunion. She wrote me for advice on how she could maintain FUN activities that would stimulate and encourage family members to interact.  I must confess, she stated, I am not a people person&I like facts &and I must combine both of these to make this a success. 

She said that she wanted to focus on the historian aspect of the reunion and to maintain that aspect in future reunions.  In my response to her, I hoped to stimulate her own ideas to insure that her family memories and traditions be maintained for future generations.  Here are the suggestions I offered:

 

• Tie in the creation of a family history document with the upcoming reunion.  Family members will be more likely to react and respond quickly for the approaching event.  Prepare and send out a questionnaire with writing space for family members to include their stories and remembrances along with their ticket reservations.

 

• Create a family video collage.  Have older family members send in cassette and/or video recordings of their milestone and/or memorable life events.  This keepsake can be edited and documented onto a video with background pictures of the person talking.  This could be a wonderful souvenir for the reunion. 

 

• The information from these first efforts will generate ideas for prizes at the reunion.  For example, the youngest/oldest grandparent, oldest/youngest to retire, person with the most descendants or most children.   You can then discern further prizes by choosing the largest family group present at the reunion or family unit that has attended the most reunions.

 

• Ask family members to send in their favorite poem or better yet, create their own.  Offer prizes for poems written in commemoration of the reunion.

 

• Ask each family to complete their own family tree as far back as they can remember and return it to the person in charge of this project.  Get a genealogical software program and begin to put in the family tree information.  With just a few responses from family members, you will have a lot of information.

 

• Prepare a poster-size genealogical chart with known descendants.  This can be filled in by everyone attending the reunion.  It could also serve as the rallying point at the current reunion and added to in future reunions.

 

• Ask family units to send in two photos, one old and the other more current.  If pictures arent readily available, have family members submit any drawings or characterizations. (All submissions can be scanned and returned if members only have one copy).  Then prepare a photo collage for the reunion.  This will also serve as a pictorial family history book that can be updated at future reunions.

 

• Organize a family cookbook or quilt by having everyone send in their favorite recipes or quilt squares.  If you are trying to raise money for reunion expenses, this can be a project that someone spearheads and sold at the reunion.

 

• Have a family talent display at the reunion.  Ask family members to donate handmade quilts, artwork, portraits, tablecloths, pillows or other personal creations that are described and offered in early mailings.  Encourage contributions from those who cant make the reunion so they are part of the effort.

 

These are just a few ideas.  Hopefully, they will stimulate more of your own.  Good luck and have a successful family reunion.

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