All the activities mentioned so far are a wonderful way to fill up the day, but be sure to work in some unstructured time as well. "Having down-time with family members is also an activity that is requested," states Deanna. "Time to sit around with photo albums and home movies is desirable. It can be the most rewarding time of the reunion because people recall their memories with their family members." If you need a few ice-breakers to get the conversations and memories started, try these:
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Award Ceremonies
Purchase inexpensive, small trophies or create certificates for this fun ice-breaker. Find out who in attendance traveled the farthest? Who has the most children? Who is the oldest? Who is the newest member of the family?
Make a New Friend
Let your family members know that there will be a test at the close of the reunion. Each member will be required to introduce one new friend that they have made that day, and tell how that friend is related to them. A variation of this would be to have someone make up a list of interesting facts on 10 people. As family members mingle, they can be finding out who matches each fact. Be sure to award prizes to the people who get all their facts straight.
"What's in Your Purse?"
This is a fun way to see what/if things have changed over the years. Compare what different female attendees have in their purses. What types of things does great-aunt Nancy carry in her purse that the younger mothers don't? Do the younger members carry any modern technology in their purses that their grandmothers didn't?
Whatever you decide to do, be sure to relax, have fun and take lots of pictures. Keep it as simple and stress-free as possible, and be sure to delegate responsibilities. Remember, it's a family reunion!
About the Author: Kelly Huckaby is the
HOMEWriter. This Christian/Wife/Mother/Writer lives in WI with her
husband of 13 years and their five always-homeschooled children. She is
active in her local homeschooling support group, is the moderator for four
homeschooling and two writing e-mail lists, and has a web page that offers
support for families using The Weaver Curriculum. Her goal as a writer is to
be an encouragement to other mothers. You can visit Kelly at her Unofficial Weaver Pages.
Valentine's Day
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