A Guide and Tips for Planning a Successful Family Reunion
One of the most special and the most memorable events in anyone’s life is the time when they mingle and get together for a family reunion. This great event is the perfect setting to meet seldom seen relatives and re-connect with elders whom the younger generation might have lost touch with. With some careful planning and creativity you could make this family reunion a truly unforgettable experience for all who attend.
Setting up a reunion managing team is the first step. Choose a senior person in charge of the team or the reunion committee. This person will have the task of dividing the work among the other members of the team. The committee itself will be smaller or larger depending on the number of invitees.
Next step is to decide on whom to call. Only close relatives or other relatives as well? once decided, then make a list of relatives several months ahead of the planned event. Track down distant relatives for this momentous occasion; you may take the help of senior members of your family to do this task. Many of your family members will be happy to help out. Use their positive response to generate enthusiasm and motivate your way to planning a great reunion. Collect emails, phone numbers and start corresponding early. You can always follow up with last minute updates and quick reminder calls. Be sure to prepare an agenda for the big day ahead as well. This way no one will miss any of the important activities.
Family reunions can be anything from an afternoon barbecue in the garden or a leisurely affair spread across an extended weekend lasting for full 3 days. So after determining the duration of your celebration, choose the final date or dates accordingly. Keep in mind the choice of majority of your invitees. Selecting a comfortable location is important but at the same time it must be agreeable and convenient for most of your family members and relatives to attend. Have a tight control on budgets to avoid last minute surprises. And make sure that the fiancés are in the hands of someone who will be able to see them through the right way. They need to be able to keep tab on the expenses and plan accordingly.
Choose games, icebreakers and other activities that will make your reunion sessions lively and interactive. Do a thorough analysis of members’ interests, as per their age and arrange relaxing fun activity with more stress on spending time together and enjoying each other’s company. We are not conducting any competition here so the emphasis should be on participating rather than on winning.
You should also make a simple checklist and include everything from venue, food, transportation to and from the reunion, budget, a list of members to be invited, among other things.
Make sure to get feedback from all the members who attend, and use this to improve your next family reunion. If you take the time to get good ideas and suggestions you will be able to make this reunion one that people talk about for generation to come!
Reaching out and keeping in touch with the relatives with whom you reconnect at the reunion will help you to plan a bigger and better reunion the next year and every year after that so make sure that you are always thinking ahead. The fellowship and warmth that you helped generate through this carefully planned family reunion will linger in the memories of several generations.