Family reunions are taken seriously here at Old Fashioned Living!
Thanks to our generous Old Fashioned Tips subscribers who shared
the things that worked well at their own reunions!
I keep a journal of quotes that are particularly inspiring to me. When my oldest son turned one, I asked family and friends to bring their favorite quote/scripture or favorite memory that was inspiring to be placed in a blank book for him. I had some of the guests write in the quote in their own hand. I plan on giving it to him when he graduates from high school or gets married. There may be people who sign his book that he may never meet. I thought it was a great way to connect him with his family. I plan on doing this throughout his life. ~Chalet
I know of a family that had a baby/youth picture put on the t-shirt that the
person wore to the reunion. ~T.D. Kuzava
One year at our family reunion, each person was asked to bring a small gift that was representative of the area or state where they lived. We had a stuffed longhorn (Texas), a piece of cheese (Wisconsin) a piece of rock salt (Bonneville Salt Flats), a small pinata (Mexico City) and other interesting items. Everyone explained their item and how was representative then for two minutes everyone could trade the item they were holding with anyone who would. It was a lot of fun and everyone learned something about some other areas of the world. We were all satisfied with the item that we ended up with.~Ellen Hironymous
At our last cousins reunion,we
did a rough draft of a family tree,with each family,their kids and
grandbabies,so later our kids will keep in touch when we are gone,we gave
each cousin a paper to list their own family,my sister took them all to add
to the family tree, I thought this was a good idea.. ~Joyce Bradley
We have a family reunion every year and someone always brings some old
pictures that they have photo copied and makes a folder of them. Then she sells
them for the cost. There is a big response to this. One cousins had old
pictures of my dad that I had never seen. This is a lot of fun.
~Millie
Ideas from Sharon Sanders
Assign two family members who barely know each other
to interview and learn everything they can about the
other person, then tell all about them at a group
metting time. If possible, make up a list of
questions that need to be answered in hopes of
learning more about each member. The person who is
introducing another family member could make up a song
or a poem about the person interviewed.
Have each family member send in a quilt square ahead
of time. (Make sure that all the squares are teh same
size!) Then, ask a group of volunteers to assemble
the quilt. Sell raffle tickets for the at the
reunion. Winner gets the quilt, and the money goes to
defray the costs of the gathering, or to start the
fund for next year.
Celebrate the oldest and youngest members with badges.
The oldest one could say something like, "I am XX
old, and I know more about this family than any of
you!" The youngest, "I may be little, but I was born
in time to be here today!"
Start a Family Guestbook, where everyone signs their
names and writes a tiny note to posterity, then assign
someone each reunion to keep the book until the next
reunion, when the process will be repeated. In a few
years, there will be meories abounding in that book.
Copies can be made and sent to members of the family
who are unable to attend for whatever reasons.
Get with a t-shirt shop and order t-shirts with the
family name, then get orders from family members who
want to order one. Buying t-shirts in bulk this way,
each shirt will be very reasonable in cost, so
families who have several members to order for will
not find it too pricey, and the shirt will be around
for a long time with the memory. Sample logo:
