The purpose of a family reunion is to bring members of a family together in a pleasant and happy way. But too often it turns out to be a painful and unpleasant time for the host.
A family reunion is an opportunity to get everyone together to talk about their lives, and letting everyone tell stories and memories helps that process to go well.
If you have an upcoming family reunion, don’t worry! That’s what we are here for! We have compiled a ton of ideas that will make this year’s gathering a hit for everyone involved. From the organizers’ point of view, you’ll learn to plan the event so that it feeds both wants and needs of your loved ones.
As you plan this big event, try not to stress out too much about details because details are important, but so is making sure everyone feels included. And don’t forget about what’s going on around you leave some room for spontaneous fun!
Make a list of fun activities
Some of the most fun things you can do at a family reunion are games, crafts, or activities. Games are great because they allow people to get together and have fun without spending any money. And craft projects are great because they allow you to spend time together creating something that has meaning for everyone involved.
Fun activities need not only be limited to games and crafts; there are also many occasions when small groups can go somewhere together like Disney World or on a trip like a day at the beach, where the group needs time apart from each other but still needs to do something together that keeps everyone entertained and involved.
Dance
When the occasion calls for a little family fun, consider throwing a dance party. It’s a great way to get everyone up and moving while at the same time celebrating the occasion.
And, because you hire a DJ, you can have fun with the music. Maybe it’s a party of all parents or all grandparents or all cousins, but it will be a good chance to get everyone moving to the beat.
The real challenge is getting everyone off their phones and out on the dance floor. But there are ways to do that if you can perfectly organize the party. Come up with a few rules beforehand: karaoke or other prerecorded songs, no phones or laptops.
This is an opportunity for everyone to shine in their own way, from the choreography to karaoke.
Make the cookbooks
Make your family reunion wonderful by using it as an opportunity to get everyone together for some bonding. Set the stage for laughter by handing out cookbooks and letting people share stories and memories of home. The more you laugh, the greater the bond between you and your family will be!
Photo albums
If the objective is to preserve family history, it’s not so much about quality as quantity. Start with photos from your parents’ wedding day, and gradually add more of your own photos of family life. Then you can print out a copy for each family member and avoid the inevitable arguments over whose photo gets on whose wall.
If you want to go beyond that and create a new tradition, there’s no reason why only photos should be in the book. Any sort of object with a personal history can be made into a keepsake: old letters, toys, artworks, books, records—anything at all.
Since every family gathering is important, we advise you to take new photos that will make you smile in the years to come when you look at them. You can rent a photo booth for your big day. Photoboothme employees say booths are often rented for family gatherings as they take entertainment to the next level.
Movie night
Some families have a tradition of watching movies on the lawn at night after dinner or on Sunday afternoons after church or on special occasions like birthdays and holidays. The goal is to do this outside on a nice day on grass, with blankets and pillows on the ground, rather than in front of the TV inside on the couch or on an air mattress on the floor.
Doing this outdoors forces people into moving around, which makes it more interesting. And it gives everyone an opportunity to appreciate their own unique contribution to family entertainment – someone can make popcorn, someone can bring pillows, and someone can bake delicious cookies.
Useful tips
Choose a theme: If you want your family to be surprised, you’ll need to choose something that the whole group is likely to be interested in. If you’re going all out and want lots of activities, try a theme: medieval village, hot air balloon festival, amusement park, zoo and so on.
Plan ahead: You can’t just decide at the last minute that you’re going to have a barbecue and then show up with a grill and some hamburgers. Most people have seen this movie before—and will expect it again next year. It’s easier to plan ahead by doing some research online.
Don’t forget to relax and have a good time!