Family Reunion Ideas

Tips for Hosting a Thanksgiving Family Reunion

One of the greatest things to be thankful for is family, and what better way to give thanks than to gather everyone together for a Thanksgiving family reunion? Chances are, everyone has a group that they tend to spend it with every single year, those who they love that live nearby. It’s just not realistic to get together for every single holiday or family function.

With careful planning, and with enough heads up, you can make this possible! Not only is it a great idea to have a family reunion for Thanksgiving, but Thanksgiving is in the fall which is a beautiful time to be outdoors enjoying everything that fall has to offer.

Planning a Thanksgiving Family Reunion

When deciding whether or not to have a Thanksgiving family reunion, one of the biggest questions that always pops up is “should I actually plan it on Thanksgiving day?” This is a very valid question, indeed, and requires much thought. Think about this:

Extended family: It is likely that extended family members are usually spending Thanksgiving time with the family members close to you, such as your brother’s sister-in-law’s cousins. Do you think it would be unfair to exclude them?

Budget: How many people can you really afford to attend the reunion? If you do want to have it on Thanksgiving day, then it’s a good idea to try to at least invite each person who normally spends it with those you planned to invite initially. (This leaves little room for complaints!) You can cut food costs by having a Thanksgiving potluck!

Take a poll: You can’t have any kind of family reunion without family and it can be harder to get people to agree to having it over a holiday. You need to first see how many willing participants you have, and also ask people to explain why their answer may be a “no” so you can try to find ways to turn those “nays” into “yays!”

Planning The Menu

So it’s set, you’re having a Thanksgiving family reunion, but now you need to think about one of the biggest expenses related to Thanksgiving: The food! So whether you’re doing all of the cooking yourself (I salute you!) or you’re having a potluck, here’s an idea on how much food you will need:

Turkey: You will need a whole lot of turkey no matter what; it’s Thanksgiving after all! Rule of thumb says to buy a pound for each person who will be present, even count infants to compensate for your uncle who might eat his weight in turkey. So for a 100 person reunion, you’ll need a 100 lbs of turkey! Just 20 people? 20 lbs of turkey.
Stuffing: How much stuffing will you need? Plan for 1/2 – 3/4 cup of prepared stuffing per person. So for a dinner for 20 people, you’re looking at at least 10 cups of stuffing. For 50 people, you’ll be looking at anywhere from 25 – 37 cups of the stuff!
Potatoes and sweet potatoes: A fair estimate for potatoes is 3 lbs for every eight guests. This means for 20 people, you’ll need about 8 lbs of potatoes. 50 people? 19 lbs. 100 people? 38 lbs!
Green beans: If you are making the green beans, then you will need to know how much to buy! 1 lb for every four guests is a good estimate, so 20 people, you will need 5 lbs, 50 people will require about 13 lbs, and 100 people should have a heaping 25 lbs of green beans!
Dinner rolls: Think of how many dinner rolls each person typically eats. To make sure you have enough for everyone, plan 2 rolls for every person in attendance.
Pumpkin pie: Or any kind of pie, you will want to have one pie for every 6 people. So if you have 20 people, round up to 4 pies. 50 people? Nine pies. 100 people? 17 pies!

Of course there is going to be other things that will be served so you can use the above estimates to make an educated guess as to how much you will need to buy for anything else. If you need more of a guide, I found this guide on the Good Housekeeping website that might just come in handy. That’s a lot of food!

Family Reunion Ideas for the Perfect Family Reunion

Whether you’re in the middle of planning a family reunion right now, or just need some family reunion ideas, you’re in the right place.

Planning a family reunion is a huge task, but the information here will help make it a memorable one! There are dates to schedule, flights or trips to plan, reservations to make, and activities to plan.

Now, imagine all of that planning, except now you have to consider it for 20 or more people. That is precisely the task you face with family reunion planning. It is also exactly what we’re going to help you with!

Video: Family Reunion Ideas

Team Effort: Planning Your Family Reunion

It’s never a bad idea to ask for help from family members; the more ideas you have, the better your chances of coming up with a well-rounded family reunion. Whether you are planning an event for 20 or 200 people, the tasks are too difficult for just one person:

meal planning
invitations
accommodations
travel reservations
activities
prizes
And entertainment

For a smaller group, one other family member helping you out may be enough to handle the responsibilities. For mid-sized or large family reunions where you bring together 3 or more families, however, you may need to organize a reunion committee. A committee is composed of several family members, with tasks assigned to each member. It is also possible to have multiple committees if the event is especially large. Committees have tasks, but also the responsibility to make decisions for the area they are responsible for.

Stay Organized

Family reunions are meant to be fun, memorable and enriching get-togethers for extended families to come together and reconnect. But behind the scenes, a successful one requires months of careful planning, decision-making, and weighing of choices.

It’s hard to plan in a way that appeals to the majority who will attend. The more family members expected, the more your planning skills will be put to the test. With proper time management and organization, family reunion planning can be more cohesive, and less stressful. If you stick to the plan and avoid overlooking the important details, then you might even like it!

Include Others in the Planning

Getting family reunion ideas and input from others helps you plan a more inclusive and fun event. If possible, have a direct contact person in each nuclear family that you can immediately communicate with or ask suggestions from with regards to different plans and options related to the reunion event itself.

This helps reduce last-minute changes later on if you make plans or reservations that don’t sit well with some of the other guests. A team working together towards a common goal can accomplish more, so organizing a committee to assist you in the different stages of family reunion planning not only lightens the load, but also adds additional layers of creativity to the whole endeavor.

Every family has at least one member who is detail-oriented, or loves to plan meals, trips, and activities, and you can put these talents to good use by encouraging them to join in on the preparations behind the family reunion.

Who Should be Invited to the Family Reunion?

Finalizing your guest list should be a priority in the planning process. Much of the planning hinges on who’ve you’ve invited including:

The activities you choose.
The food you serve.
The location you choose.

If this is the first family reunion your clan will have, or it has been a long time since the last reunion event, perhaps focusing on the immediate families first would be a great starting point, and then as the reunion becomes a more frequent occasion (some families even hold reunions yearly), you can expand the guest list to include more extended family members.

Start small, then think big

Start with your immediate family, and the people they care about most. If possible, avoid inviting people who are unable to get along publicly. Ensure that people who have an unfriendly rivalry are not pitted against one another in any activities.

It is simple for them to escalate into a bad memory. Make sure extended families and members who are supposed to get invitations will receive them. There’s nothing more awkward than having to pacify an agitated relative who got overlooked and found out about the family reunion from somewhere or someone else.

This can cause unnecessary tension, especially if they show up at the reunion (yet another reason why getting help is very important so these details are not overlooked). There is also a great website here that allows you to list your family reunion on their website, and it will link it to your family reunion website.

How Should We Cover the Expenses of the Reunion?

The family reunion costs play a very important role in planning, and therefore should be a foremost priority in the planning stages. Stay away from venues, activities, or events that may be too expensive or limiting to some members of the family.

Make sure that everyone is as comfortable as possible regardless of their budget constraints, and can enjoy it as much as possible. Striking a balance somewhere in the middle is a key goal. Ask for family reunion ideas and suggestions to get a sampling of destinations, activities, or events the families are willing to shell out money for.

If directly asking family members how much money they are willing to pay seems tacky, one way of indirectly getting opinions is a survey where they can check off family reunion ideas they are more financially capable of.

Where Should We Have Our Reunion?

Once reunion guests are confirmed and a general budget set, the venue of your event must be selected. Setting the location of your reunion is perhaps the most challenging part of the planning process, as various factors such as:

accommodations
lodging
travel expenses
food preparations
And activities are all intricately connected to your event location.

Smaller gatherings can often be held at home, but for larger groups, a venue or hall maybe required. Popular options include:

community centers
hotel banquet halls
ballrooms
conference centers
school gymnasiums
And church auditoriums.

These venues often have multi-purpose rooms where family members can eat together, mingle, and participate in activities. Combining vacation time and family bonding is a popular option for family reunion events. You can look into:

resorts
retreat centers
Or cruises.

There are often great discounts and deals for large groups. Make sure you inquire about such discounts so holding your reunion becomes more cost-efficient. There’s nothing wrong with saving money while also allowing everyone to relax, unwind, and enjoy more activities with each other.

What Type of Food Should We Serve at Our Reunion?

Now, what is a party without good food (and lots of it)? During any event, people are more likely to loosen up, enjoy the company, and stay longer if the food and drinks are enjoyable. Food brings people together and creates memories. The right selection of appetizers, entrees, dishes and desserts can complement your reunion’s theme.

Get help with meal preparations

Meal preparation for the reunion revolves around your venue. For gatherings at home, the host or hostess may need to plan and prepare meals. One option is to enlist the help of other families in cooking up one big meal (or meals) for all attendees. Like planning, it is always better to get help from other family members when it comes to preparing the food; you will get more family reunion ideas, and the workload is evenly distributed.

Potlucks

Potluck dinners are another option for reunions, especially if most of the attendees live close by and can conveniently bring dishes to the reunion venue. For potluck meals, use a signup sheet as a checklist. This lets people see what others have already committed to bring and what else is needed (salads, appetizers, dishes, desserts, drinks, other necessities).

Are Meals Included?

If your family decides to enjoy a week-long cruise or an all-inclusive stay at a resort or mountain lodge, meals are likely included in the cost. This frees everyone from worrying about cooking and cleaning up afterwards.

Even for events that are not out-of-town, you can opt for professional catering services to minimize the stress of food shopping and preparation. Attendees can share the cost of professional food catering, and the convenience of just showing up and enjoying the event.

Where Will Our Reunion Guests Stay?

Large reunions may entail family members travelling from different places around the country and even overseas. This is why it is important to plan the event ahead of time, especially the event location. This ensures everyone has enough time to prepare, set money aside, make necessary reservations, and file appropriate notices for work or school commitments.

Include options for every budget!

To accommodate varying budgets, select locations with a wide range of lodging options. Examples include resorts or hotels where guests can conveniently choose rooms or suites that best fit their budget. For a one- or two-day event, have a list of various hotels in the area as well as their average prices, and pass it along to your guests so they can reserve ahead of time.

Travel is also a major consideration. If you have family members from coast to coast, a more central location is best so everyone shares equal travel expenses. If possible, you can benefit from lower prices through group bookings, such as families flying together from one city.

What Family Reunion Activities are Good for Everyone?

Whether your family reunion is a one-day or week-long affair, it is important to keep everyone entertained with various activities appropriate for their ages and personal interests.

Activities are less of a problem if the family opts for a cruise or destination vacation; these venues keep guests occupied with on-site spa treatments, swimming, games, snorkeling, nightlife, etc. Since the family reunion is all about reconnecting with each other, inform your guests ahead of time about specific events or activities where you would like everyone to participate.

When planning, keep in mind the different age groups and what interests or hobbies they may have. For example, some families love sports and enjoy group ballgames or sports-related activities. Just remember to make room for family members who may not be as physically capable or enthusiastic about sports. It is important everyone finds an activity they enjoy, instead of just one general event for the whole group.

Should We Plan Backup Family Reunion Ideas?

Things rarely go completely to plan, so make sure your plans keep this mind. Weather disturbances can get in the way; last-minute cancellations or schedule conflicts are common hindrances. If you are in charge of the family reunion planning, it is wise to have an alternative plan for every aspect of the event.

Have a restaurant backup list

For meal preparations, have the contact information of restaurants in the area. That way, you can call in case someone forgets to bring dessert or appetizers. This is also useful, if invited guests who had previously declined suddenly show up.

Have a game backup list too

Make a list of activities or games the family can enjoy in case of rain. Have a plan if outdoor activities aren’t possible. Or if you have hired professional entertainers for the evening, such as a band or singers, make backup plans for entertainment you can call just in case something unforeseen happens.

Relax, let go, and enjoy

Keep in mind that you are among family. While you should try your best to be prepared, you should also enjoy your time with them. Some of the most cherished moments we look back to are the mix-ups and mistakes. They bring out the best in everyone (especially laughter) and remind us what family really means. If you mess up a little bit, don’t stress about it; just let it go, and let everything else fall into place.

Family Reunion Poems: Sentiments for Your Family Gathering

Family reunions are such a wonderful, rare occasion that the entire family actually has a chance to get together.

It’s a time to catch up on new times and converse about the good times spent together, all the while creating new memories.

If you really want to make this a day for everyone to remember, how about writing short family reunion poems about each family member to send home with them? Not only will they really appreciate it, but they will forever have something concrete to remember this family reunion.

Instead of just writing family reunion poems on a piece of paper, try the following ideas:

Type them up on a computer and add pretty borders and relevant clip art.
Put them in pretty picture frames.
Make picture frames by hand; get creative and break out that old arts and crafts box!
Use popsicle sticks or wooden dowels to make a scroll.

There are so many ways to get creative with this project, the hardest parts are deciding what to write and how long to make it. Once you have an idea, the rest just falls into place.

Here are a few examples of family reunion poems to write; feel free to use them for your project!

Poem for Mom:

I love you, Mom,
This, you should know.
For it is you
who has helped me grow,
And bloom like a flower
in the sun.
No matter how far apart we are,
We are always one.

Poem for Dad:

Fishing poles and pants with holes.
On your shoulders in the park.
From riding bikes down the street,
to sneaking me snacks after dark.
You are the best dad
that one can have.

I love you.

Poem for your grandparents:

Grandparents are sweet
and so full of love.
They are truly sent
from up above.

Poem for your sister:

Sisters are forever.
In this life together.
No matter how near,
No matter how far
A sister is always in the heart.

Poem for your brother:

Wet willies and slugs
And lots of other gross bugs
Brothers are a lot of fun to grow up with
From tickle wars and pillow fights
To having a lifelong friend to cherish.

Poem for your cousins:

Cousins are like siblings
That you can’t whenever,
But each time you see them
It’s a great time together!

Write From the Heart

Just like writing any poem, the words need to come straight from your heart. Including inside jokes and old memories will make the poem extra special to both you and the recipient.
It’s okay if you do not want to write a poem for everyone in the family, but if this is the case, try to give the poems out in private to avoid hurt feelings.

If you do want to include everyone, it is also okay to write a long family reunion poem about the entire family and read it out loud at the family reunion. If you choose to go this route, have copies on hand to give to everyone so they can take it home with them.

Giving poems to family members at the family reunion is a surefire way to put a smile on the faces of your family members and will let them know that you truly do care about them and think about them even when they aren’t around. Poems always come from the heart and are a wonderful timeless way to say “I love you.”

5 Family Reunion Cleanup Strategies

As much fun as family reunions are, there are always jobs we don’t want to do. Cleaning up happens to be one of the lowest on the “excitement” list. You’ll quickly notice it is easier to get volunteers for the planning committees and set-up crews. People just don’t like cleaning.

Family members are more likely to volunteer time and effort for the fun parts of a reunion. They’re also more willing to volunteer for the pre-planning. But many are unwilling to clean up during the event. as they would rather mingle and enjoy the activities, of course. It makes sense, but that doesn’t change the fact: someone has to clean up.

The Importance of Planning for Cleanup

Family reunion planners must plan ahead of time for cleanup duties. It’s important to have specific people and procedures in place for the cleanup of the reunion venue. If you don’t, then some poor family member will be left to clean all by themselves. Don’t leave Aunt Joan with a huge pile of dishes and silverware, or piles of trash to be disposed of!

Almost every large family has a couple of members who really do not mind cleaning up after meals and family affairs. It is also important to not overwhelm them with so many tasks during the reunion. They deserve to have a great time themselves too! A more streamlined and equal distribution of the cleanup responsibilities would be a better option for everyone involved.

So, what do we do with this conundrum? Here are ideas that will help family reunion cleanup go a lot more smoothly!

1. Include cleanup duties in sign-up sheets

If you have sign-up sheets or registration forms (paper or online) for various committees and responsibilities related to the family reunion, always include cleanup duties in the options. This helps family members remember that this is part of the many things that need to be planned.

Sometimes, reunion planners spend much time organizing committees for food preparation, venue setup, games and activities, and other event details, but the cleanup gets neglected. This allows participants to assume that it’s every man for himself; most of the time, this does not work well.

2. Assign duties to each family

If your reunion event lasts a couple of days (such as an entire weekend), then there will be several meals shared by the whole group. In this case, it’s just fair to spread out the cleanup responsibilities among the families represented. Assign specific families ahead of time so they know their responsibilities. If one family is assigned to cook lunch, then have another family take care of the cleanup.

3. Make it a competition

People love competition, and it’s often a sneaky way to get people to assume responsibilities. Announce a contest for the family group with the cleanest area (give great prizes for winners). This way, each unit is responsible for their space and everyone will be pressured to pick up after themselves. This is a great idea for reunions held in picnic areas or campgrounds.

4. Make trash collection and disposal easy

Have enough trash bins and/or garbage bags throughout your venue. When trash is made, people can then throw it away. This also reduces the cleaning and tidying up needed when the event is done. If you have different activities or games that leave behind trash, such as confetti, balloons, leftover food, etc., clean up the mess as soon as the game is completed. Don’t let trash accumulate! Fun Trash Fact: Did you know Disney World trash cans are always less than 30 steps away? Walt Disney’s team observed people at other theme parks to determine the ideal distance.

5. Include professional cleaners in the budget

For really large family reunions, you will benefit more from hiring professional cleaning assistants rather than doing it yourself. Most food catering services, if you have opted for catered meals, have cleanup responsibilities included in their packages. If this is not an option, call cleaning services in your area and ask about their rates. If you use their services, then add the cost of the cleaning to the reunion registration fee.

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