tips for holding a family reunion.?
487190
Many state parks have shelter houses and/or camping areas. Maybe a big camp out would work? Everybody brings their own stuff, including food, and then no one is put out.
167396
We just had our 30th, and we had a band and a med. size hall with contests, games and giveaways. We did a raffle ticket giveaway that we gave everyone who entered, for free. We gave prizes from money we got when they committed on coming to the reunion. We factored that into the cost.\nI didnt get the band but I was not that satisfied with it.\nI think you may be better with a disc jockey that will play tunes from what you guys requested in your time of grad.\nIts a great deal of work and I just helped out. you need a strong group of people to help you, I would suggest that, and when you get some quotes on halls and whatnot, make sure you add a declorations and anything unexpected together with one cost for everyone. Leave nothing out. It will probably cost people 45 dollars per person or more. Unless u know someone that would donate their services or what have you.
298249
I am not sure if this is the same thing as a "come and go" event, but we have a very large family and often hold what we call "open houses".  I advise a 2-3 hour time frame for the event.  Refreshments can be very simple, especially if you hold the shower during the afternoon hours of 2-5 or 1-4 since this is after lunch and before dinner.  Use small plates, 6 or 8 inch and provide finger foods - fresh veggies with dip, cut-up fresh fruit, small appetizers such as little quiche or little sausages wrapped around crescent roll dough.  Dessert can be sugar cookies made in hearts with the wedding date or bride and groom's names written on them.  Miniature cupcakes would be cute, too.  Provide something that will "unite" all the guests since they won't all be there at the same time.  Maybe provide a recipe card and a 3x5 card in each guest's invitation.  Have them bring a favorite recipe on the recipe card and some "advice" for the happy couple on the 3x5 card.  Have a pretty basket available to put the card in.  As each guest leaves, give them something small as a momento since you won't be able to do much in the way of games.  Perhaps a small votive candle or a little potpourri wrapped in tulle and ribbon that match the colors of the bride's colors.  After the party, as the bride-to-be unwraps each gift, take a digital or poloroid picture of her with the gift and send it in the thank-you card to the giver.  Make sure everyone has a name tag since the guest list is large.  Another option may be to consider a different venue for the party.  A church social hall, a school gym or cafeteria, a park with a gazebo, someone's back yard, may be possibilities to allow all guests to be there at the same time.  Also, if you have anyone nice enough to ask what they can do to help, be sure to accept their offer and see if they can either help set-up or clean-up or perhaps bring a veggie tray or make cookies.  This will help financially and will be less stress for you.
854534
Usually they are planned around the city where you went to school.\n\nAre you actually wanting to plan a reunion for all students, or for just a handful of friends?\n\nYou need to reserve a place for dinner and dancing with a rough idea of how many will attend. In a class reunion you can expect maybe half (even when they are bringing their spouses). Of course 10 years is different then a 30 year reunion.\n\nYou may also want to have a couple of hotels notified and perhaps can get a discount if they mention the reunion.\n\nSend out invitations and wait for the RSVP. Then you notify the hall of how many are attending. Have them pay the fee up front, because if they do not have to pay until they get here and then they do not come for whatever reason then you will be stuck with the bill.\n\nOn the other hand, if there are just 20 of you or so, you can reserve a private room in a restaurant and everyone can just pay their own bill.\n\nOften the weekends will include a dinner and dancing on Saturday. Sometimes on Friday evening everyone will meet a bar or local hangout. If there is a home game that night they sometimes go to that. People reminisce and have a drink or 2. Saturday morning will often include a tour of the school (if you can arrange it with the administration). Sometimes you can arrange a tour of a local attraction or historical landmark.
209025
Ask your boyfriend what kind of wine they might like.  Bring two bottles.  Maybe pick up a cheese tray and some crackers.  Or even baked goods to have with coffee.  Is there a no fail recipe you have that's your families favorite?  Flowers are good too.  While you are there just be sure to treat your boyfriend with love and respect.  His mom will definitely be watching to see how you treat her baby.  And try to be helpful without being asked, but don't over do it.  Find out ahead of time what their hobbies/interests are and maybe do a little reading up on it before going.  That way you have good topics for conversation with them that they will be interested in.  You'll make a great impression!  Good luck
778047
1st thing:  Breathe!  You'll get through this & have some great memories in a few years.\n\nNext, don't be embarressed for your in-laws.  It's not YOUR fault they are the way they are.  Your parents/family KNOW this. \n\nRegarding the kids, plan on doing a children's table.  2 reasons:  keep them seperate from the adults so you can have "grown up conversations" and you can use that same table for activities such as puzzles, games, crafts, etc. \n\nFor the menu:  Tell them that you had planned on traditional Thanksgiving dinner.  If they would like to make & bring barbeque, that would be great!  Then both families can share what they consider traditional.\n\nHave fun!  Remember this won't be the only time the families get together.  Make the best of it!
337716
ask them questions \nlike ask the mom about their past family names and where they are from,\ntell the mom you think this and maybe she will help you out in this process.\nmake sure you have information about your families past too. like grandparents and great grandparents and stuff like that..\nGood Luck
913182
Just say no and apologize.  If they are friends they will understand, but you also must be a friend to them.  You may need to cut a few ties and keep just a few close ones and the others can be aquaintences.  Or you can have on big party a few times a year to make up for it.  I have too much family, seriously.  I can't possibly see them all as much as I''d love to.  But I can't dump them either.  My kids and husband come first.  It's very difficult but it's the only way it will work.  Have a great day.  Wow, I think this is the 3rd question I answered of yours.  Honestly I"m not stalking you.  You are just where-ever I am.  Wierd...
701297
Make a list of famous things:  books, movies, celebrities, TV shows, etc...Write each thing you think of on a label and as your guest arrive you give each one a label.  One person is in charge of the handouts and places the label on the person's back so they can't see it but everyone else can.  The person who has the label has to ask yes or no questions of everyone else and try to guess whose name they have.  When they guess correctly they return to the person handing out labels and get a new one.  At the end of the evening I usually give a small prize ($5 or so) to the person with the most correct guesses.  \n\nThis is a good ice breaker if a lot of your guests don't know each other.  It works best with a larger group.
137129
http://www.reunion.com
728687
well I have a few ideas. this is for the children and the adults. if you take the presents that you will be giving everyone and hide them then have a little scavenger hunt. give everyone a piece of paper with a riddle on it (for the children pair them up or keep theirs simple) like, "I'm Big, always cold, if you leave me open things inside will go bad" (answer a frig) so then everyone who has that one will go to the frig and they will find another riddle until they find their gift. that's always a fun one and even though it's kinda childish the adults will love it, it will bring them back to their childhood. I would also suggest having some wine sangria specifically. or you could do a Yankee swap. everyone brings a gift wrap and puts it on a table. then everyone pulls a number. if you have 12 people you would have 1-12 on little pieces of paper everyone picks a number and number one goes picks a gift (no one knows who it's from) then number two goes and they can decided to keep the one they pick or take number 1's gift. and so on until everyone has a gift then once the last one picks number one gets to decide if they want to keep what they have or pick anyone else. then everyone opens them at once and laughs about what they got. I have more ideas but this is getting long. email me and I'll see what else I can come up with
640339
are you from okla.? i am. go to reunion.com. that link will help you . good luck. okc.,okla.
675860
My family at any gathering . . .
535953
Take lots of photographs, plan to speak regularly on th phone, plan to mail them things from the new country as surprises so they can find the "fun" side of your being gone, and remember, when you get back, it will be such a glorious reunion!\nPlan to write REAL letters with storie sof what you are seeing---think of yourself as 19th century Englishman\noff to a new place--India or Africa, all you write of will be new to them, newsy to the children, and they will invariably re-read the letters over and over again, \nfor this is what we did in WWII when my Dad was away.\nHe loved our letters and we his.\nThat special bond never diminished.\nYOU can make this a great experience for everyone!\nGood Luck!
645478
Bring a potted plant or perhaps a collection of gourmet jams and jellies. Let them initiate most of the conversation and observe a lot. There are a lot of qualities people dielike in guests that are much higher on the list than "quiet." If it matters in the future, you will see them a lot more and sense what to talk about.
928203
I had an answer for this, but it was too close to Cinnamon's. Give her the 10 pts. I've been in this situation enough times - don't even try to over-feed yourself. \n\nIt's great to start with intentions of only having one part of the meal at one place, but the next thing you know, the stuffing smells sooooo good, and you're stuffed! :)\n\nYour families should understand that you want to see everyone. What matters is that you're making the effort to visit with them all, and that you're not making anyone wait for you. Have fun!
1014033
Tell them it was a work trip ... or you had family there you wanted to visit but something came up and they had to leave out of town ... and you need some where to stay .. haha ... I wonder if that would work !