Make up a reunion theme that connects all family members. Mutual experiences and memories are a powerful source of unity for any group. Arrange your reunion around a theme that everyone in your family can relate to. A common thread can be a family ancestry, a milestone such as a golden anniversary, or even a sports or cultural event.

Arrange activities that focus on the commonalities that family members share. A few ways to blend the family together are a table displaying old family photographs, a night of swapping stories about colorful deceased relatives, photo albums or videos of key family events, or games that require deep knowledge of the family’s past.

Ask for input from everyone who is going to attend about time, place, and activities. All the family members will enjoy a sense of ownership for the reunion rather than simply being an attendee. And that will make the planning process an integral part of the reunion, extending it, and getting everyone to interact, well beyond the time that everyone spends together.

Think over enlisting the help of a professional reunion planner. A non-family member such as a travel agent or cruise planner can offer non-biased expertise about the range of experiences suitable to a family’s particular interests. That will make the planning more fair and will help to avoid the possibility of plans made in anyone’s self interest at the expense of others.

Remember - there may be some pre-reunion jitters and take steps to help curtail them. So you should try to plan activities that allow everyone to feel like an important part of the family and let people know beforehand about these plans.

Family Reunion Tips >>