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Fail-proof Family Reunions
Posted: Sep 3, 2009 4:43 PM
Updated: Sep 3, 2009 4:43 PM
Organizing your clan’s reunion can be a major undertaking. But choosing the right location and activities can strengthen your family connections and create an event that your relatives will talk about for years to come, says Sandra MacLean Clunies, a certified genealogist and the author of A Family Affair: How to Plan and Direct the Best Family Reunion Ever (Rutledge Hill Press 2003). Clunies has masterminded parties for anywhere from 40 to 1,200 family members. Here are her tips for a great family bash -- whatever your time frame and your budget.
Celebrate a One-day Reunion With…a Potluck at a Local Park
This is easy, inexpensive and bound to provide lots of chat time. Mark the spot with a large flag or sign so your relatives can find you. Organize some games for the kids (freeze tag or capture the flag are favorites) and make sure there’s some shade for the seniors.
For kids, run a “Fun Facts” contest. Hand out a sheet to the younger family members, filled with questions challenging them to find the names of relatives from various states, the couple who’s been married for more than 60 years, the cousin who drives a red convertible, etc. “This is a great ice breaker,” says Clunies. “Children love running around to get all the information, especially if there’s a prize for the most correct answers.” And here’s a creative way for the kids to help you clean up: “At an outdoor party, I like to run a who-can-bag-the-most-trash contest once an hour,” says Clunies. “I give out a prize, and it works like a dream.”
And don’t forget a take-home gift. For adults, consider compiling a family recipe book ahead of time. The dish can be a favorite or the one they brought to the pot luck. Design a beautiful cover that commemorates the occasion.
Celebrate a Weekend Reunion With…a Return to the Old Homestead
If you have deep roots in one particular area, this is a great time to find out more about them. Plan a weekend in the town where your mutual ancestors lived and visit the church or synagogue they attended, the cemetery they’re buried in, even the swimming hole they cooled off in. “You can get help from the town historian,” says Clunies. “In fact, he or she might be willing to give a talk about the town history and your family’s part in it.”
For a special memory maker, hang a family tree on a wall so that everyone can find their place in the group. In addition, create a temporary family “museum.” Attendees should bring along photo albums, yearbooks, heirlooms and similar “artifacts” for a mass show-and-tell after dinner.
Celebrate a Weeklong Reunion With…a Family Vacation
A get-together at a luxe resort might not be as expensive as you think, especially at all-inclusive ones, such as Club Med. Many offer group discounts that might not be advertised on their Web site, so call the resort to ask -- the savings could be substantial. If you’ve got a group of 15 to 20, consider renting out a large house in a fun vacation location. “One year, we held our reunion at a large beach house in Nags Head, N.C.,” recalls Clunies. The 10-bedroom house had a steep $5,000 rental fee per week. But divided among 20 family members who each shared a room, it came to only $250 per person. To cut costs even more, consider a campground or a ski resort off-season.
Plan evening activities designed to get to know each other better, such as a talent show or panel discussion featuring the seniors talking about life when they were kids. “The kids always marvel that childhood could be fun without television or computers, and the seniors, an often overlooked group, feel honored and special,” says Clunies. In addition, don’t forget to assign a family videographer to tape some of the activities and interview family members. Afterward, mail everyone a copy of the DVD so the great time you all spent together becomes an even greater memento.
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