What do you think of when you hear the words “family reunion?” Most people think of Aunt Sarah’s potato salad, Grammas’ eight layer chocolate cake, Uncle Ted’s BBQ, Cousin Cindy’s new boyfriend, and Aunt Candy’s family gossip. If you want to spice up your family reunion with more than Aunt Candy’s gossip, try some of the ideas listed below.
Rock and Roll your Relatives
In this year’s invitation, ask folks to bring their all time favorite tunes. Tell them to break out those old records, eight track tapes, cassessets, or CD's, and bring them to the family reunion. For decorations, go to junk stores, antique stores, or flea markets and get some old 45’s and a few posters of music icons Decorate the walls with the 45’s and the old posters, add some black helium balloons, white streamers, and white tablecloths, Get black plates and black plastic silverware. Cut out some music notes out of the extra black plates and scatter them around the tables. Put small vases with white and red carnations and music notes made out of black pipe cleaners on all the small tables. You’ve got a rocking reunion! Invite relatives of different ages to teach the rest of the family dance steps from their era. Make sure your digital camera is charged because you will have lots and lots of fun pictures to email to the family after this reunion.
Salsa Party
You can still eat potato salad and chocolate cake, but add a little salsa this year. Invite family members to bring their best homemade salsa to the reunion. Have categories like: Wimpy but Wonderful, Torrid Taste Bud Torture, and Smooth, but Smoking. Have family members taste and vote for one sauce in each category. You may want to add a favorite chips contest, too. Give out ribbons or trophies at the end of the night.
F.A.M.I.L.Y. N.A.M.E. B.I.N.G.O.
Get on the computer and make family name bingo cards. Instead of Bingo, put the name of the family on the top of each card, example: Smitho, Joneso. Then put family members’ individual names in each of the spaces, examples: Janice, Susie, Bill. Since some family names are longer than others, the only way to win is to completely fill up your card. The first person who gets Smitho or Joneso or Robinsono, gets to select a prize. Prizes are original items created by other family members. For example, Lisa donates one of her paintings. Judy donates her recipe for double deep chocolate brownies, and Sid donates a bottle of his own BBQ sauce. Not only is this a fun game, allowing the younger children a chance to get to know family member names, it also is a showcase for your family’s talents, since all of the prizes have to be created by them.