Family reunions anyone?

[Crafty Amanda]

This is something I've never done. My hubby's family is a bit unusual (I'm being polite LOL) and my family, well there just aren't that many of us.

Just curious how many of you have or participate in family reunions? One of our moderators, Kelly Huckaby (HOMEWriter), wrote a great article called Fantastic Family Reunions that includes not only tons of ideas, but several recipes too. It can be seen here: http://www.thefamilycorner.com/famil...reunions.shtml

[kimmyo]

Great article Kelly! My husbands family has a family reunion every Labor Day Weekend. We have been doing this for 3 years now and its a lot of fun. It started out very small and has grown over the years. This year will be the largest it has ever been because my husbands uncle has located family members through his genealogy research and we will get to meet them for the first time!

[Shawn]

Great artical indeed.

Many years ago, we would always have huge family gatherings (both sides and with friends too) but that all ended as the older family members started to pass away.

At this point there are not many left so I doubt we wil ever have reunions

[Crafty Amanda]

That's the same way I feel Shawn. I'm assuming that when our kids are grown and have kids of their own, we can then start a new reunion tradition, since we'll be grandparents then

[Shawn]

Now that sounds like a good idea Amanda

[cowpost]

Yes, we will be having a BIG reunion this year and I was in charge (by default)! We decided on the week last Oct. when a lot of us were together for a wedding. We will have 2 weekends and the week in the middle, as we have folks coming from Washington, DC, Alaska, California, TX and points in between to Northern WI.

I will also be GOING to an even bigger reunion in TN in July--it is the East TN Pioneer Families reunion and they are expecting over 500 people. I have a lot of cousins there and we are doing our genealogy, so expect to find other "cousins" at this one.

The cited article has a lot of good ideas in it--several I had already planned, but lots of new ones I can still make use of! Great timing!

Mona

[mmbsl]

Family Reunions are GREAT!
We started having them in 1995, each family member gets a chance to be in charge of setting it all up. In other words we take turns.
The first one was on the TX coast. We rented 4 Condo's right on the Ocean. It was FABULOUS!
The second one was in Colorado. We had cabins near a lake.
AWESOME!
The third one was on the NC Coast where we rented big houses.
TOTALLY COOL!
The fourth was in Branson, MO where we rented cabins and there was a lake within walking distance. You could see it from your balcony.
THE BEST!

We have Family Reunions every two years.
There was 34 of us now there is 33.

I was in charge of the last Reunion. What I did was I went on line and looked for places in Branson,MO to have a Reunion. Then I filled out info forms and the different places sent me Brochures of
there Resorts.

I also sent emails to all the Family members to find out what kind of activities they were interested in, most said swimming and fishing. So cabins on a lake!

We always go in the summer time for a week.
We come from all over: IN,TX,NY,VA,ME,NH and MO.

For meals what we do is every family is in charge of their own Breakfast and Lunch. Then each family picks a night to fix dinner and we all eat together. It works out really well.

When I set up the last Reunion in MO I made sure there were these things around: an airport( for those who fly in and rent a car), Medical Facilities, Entertainment, churches and Laundry Facilities.

Setting up a Reunion takes alot of time but I had alot of fun doing it.

For next Year 3 family members are looking into a Reunion in NC( Lake Lure), NM and Utah.
I am helping too cause I had so much fun doing it before!

Family Reunions are wonderful and I highly Recommend them!

[trekmom]

I love reunions but haven't had many to go to. My daughter wants to plan a reunion with my dad's side of the family-especially since I'm working on the family tree. I've told her to plan small for the first one-mostly local family members; but we hope to get into really large reunions.
My husband's adopted family has a reunion every August, but they never tell us exactly when it is-especially after his mom died a couple of years ago.
I'm also looking for my husband's birthfamily and trying to arrange a reunion with them-very difficult, but it can be rewarding.

Even if you have or only know of very few family members you can have a reunion-or just call it a family get together. If you or someone in the family is working on the family tree, eventually more people will start showing up at these get togethers and they will be reunions!

Hope everyone planning reunions has some really great times-don't forget to take pictures and if you don't have a digital camera get a disc or CD made when the pictures are developed so you can share online. Also, it helps to be able to identify people you don't really know.

Pam aka trekmom

[kimmyo]

Okay I am in charge of games at my husbands upcoming family reunion in August. HELP! I have no ideas! Let me have it ladies put your brain power to work and send me your ideas!

[mmbsl]

I got these from a Family Reunion book by Jennifer Crichton

OLD STANDBYS:
* Kite Flying
* Tug-of-War
* Nature Walk
* Ping-Pong or Horseshoes
* Board Games
* Card Games

Badminton, Volley Ball, Frisbee and Jump Rope!

Scavenger and Treasure Hunts

3 legged race,Relay Race, Water Balloon Toss, or Water Balloon War.

The Classics:
Wheelbarrow Race
Egg-in-the-spoon Race
Back to Back Race
Dodgeball,
Simon Says,
Giant Step,
Statues,
Red Rover

You can also do simple crafts.
You could also teach the kids games the Adults use to play as kids.

Good Luck!