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Family Reunion
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Every summer, cities are inundated with neon T-shirt-wearing aunts, un-cles, grandparents and kids conven-ing for their annual family reunions. They travel from all over the country to enjoy barbecue, dance the Cupid shuffl e and to hear stories about how things used to be back in the day. Mom and Dad lead family karaoke
while the domino table is the place to be for seniors.“Many African-American family reunions started out be-
ing held in someone’s backyard or as a one-day cookout in the park,” says Ione Vargus, Ph.D., professor and dean emerita at Temple University in Philadelphia and founder of its Family Re-union Institute. “Now since relatives no longer live in the same neighborhood as they once did, the reunion serves as a vehicle for strengthening kinship bonds.”
A P R I L 2 0 1 4 / V I S I T E B O N Y . C O M 7776 V I S I T E B O N Y . C O M / A P R I L 2 0 1 4
L I V E Family Reunion
It’s aFamily Aff airWHETHER IT’S YOUR TURN TO HOST OR IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR IDEAS TO SHARE, HERE’S EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO PLAN AN UNFORGETTABLE REUNION
WHERE IS MOST OF YOUR FAMILY LOCATED?
A: Near the same town/cityB: Within a two-hour driveC: All across the country
HOW MANY RELATIVES ARE YOU PLANNING TO INVITE?
A: 15 to 25B: 25 to 50
C: As many as we can
FAMILY OCCASIONSARE USUALLY …
A: Drama-free with plenty of laughter
B: Somewhat fractured and cliquey
C: Practically World War III
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ON THE PLANNING COMMITTEE?
A: Just meB: A small collection
of representativesC: Anyone and
everyone
WHICH BEST DESCRIBES YOUR FAMILY?A: TraditionalB: Laid-back
C: High-maintenance
WHAT ARE YOUR FAMILY’S SPENDING HABITS?
A: Penny-pinchersB: Willing to spend
C: “Money ain’t a thing”
MOSTLY Bs:A WEEKEND
FOR THE MEMORYBOOKS
With your com-mittee, execute a three-day week-
end that will entice even the most
distant of cousins. Whether pegged
to a holiday or a lo-cal festival, this re-union will be fi lled
with group outings to theme parks,
an adults-only bid whist tournament and sampling lo-
cal fare. There will be plenty of time
to snap photos for the family In-
stagram hashtag. Walking tours and free tourist attrac-tions will provide the perfect back-
drop for all the activities. Best of all, since the re-
union is local, fam-ily members won’t have to sweat the
travel expense.
4 THE HISTORY OF USA reunion held at the an-cestral home or farm off ers opportunities for learning
about your forebearers. Ask participants ahead of time to compile photos, mementos and stories that they can contribute to enhance the family tree and celebrate the legacy.
1 1970S THROWBACKIt’s a blast from the past. With disco music, blaxploitation fi lms and, of course, some
funky costumes, your family is sure to have the retro reunion of the year. And what would a ’70s theme be without a party? Compete with your kinfolk for the best bell-bottoms or the biggest Afro, all before taking a stroll down the Soul Train line.
2 GAME TIMESibling rivalries and genera-tional matchups are welcome at this family aff air. Finally a
chance to earn bragging rights as the fastest three-legged racer, the best fl ag football team or the No. 1 shooter in a round of horse-shoes. A reunion that revolves around games guarantees plenty of harmless trash talk and stories for years to come.
MOSTLY Cs:SOMETHING
FOR EVERYONESkip the stress of one big event to
please the mass-es. Your jet-setting family would much
prefer a series of impressive events
that speaks to various tastes. Upon arrival to the host city, a
welcome mimosa brunch will satisfy
the older ladies, while a fuss-free-yet-competitive
game night for guys will be a sure-
fi re hit. Round up the kids for family tree crafting. End the reunion with an elegant hotel gala, complete
with a cover band and sit-down din-ner to honor the
eldest member of the family. Cap off the evening with an awards seg-ment, complete
with trophies.
DIGITIZE OLDPHOTOS AND VHS TAPESHave dozens of black-and-white photos spilling out of albums? GoPhoto.com will gladly accept a box of your old photos and turn them into digital delights. Video-preservation sites such as ScanDigital.com off er additional services, including converting VHS and fi lm footage onto DVDs.
CREATE A FAMILY TREE ONANCESTRY.COMStart with what you know: names, birthdates, mar-riage dates, etc. Then share fi nd-ings with other family members, enabling them to participate in the process. The site also has a new learning center to search indexed legal documents including draft cards, slave re-cords and emanci-pation documents.
START A FAMILYWEBSITECreate reunion cen-tral for members to register and access information on the location, accom-modations, cost, exciting details and more. Inevitably, there will be chang-es, so update every-one at once on the site. Design your own at WordPress.com or choose from templates on Celebrate.MyEvent.com
HIRE A PHOTO-GRAPHER AND/ORVIDEOGRAPHERWhile many hire photographers only for a wedding, more reunions are handing over the photo duties to the pros. Scour Pinterest.com for shots and experts whose work you like, then negotiate a per-hour or per-day rate. With pro-fessional shots (or a video highlight reel), your reunion will be primed for an album or custom Blurb.com photo book.
MOSTLY As:THROW AN
OLD-SCHOOL BARBECUE
Your close-knit family would have
a ball at a park. Assign Grandpa Frank to the grill,
Aunt Rosa to oversee games
and a decoration committee for an
eff ortless outdoor bash. Providing the main dishes
and encouraging the others to bring their choice of side
dish will keep the budget down and
allow family mem-bers to share time-
honored recipes and favorites. Plus, the dominoes, ob-stacle course and a game of kids’ tag will get everyone
in on the fun.
DISTINGUISH THIS REUNION FROM ONES IN YEARS PAST WITH A FUN-FILLED MOTIF
Pick a Theme
BEFORE THE REUNION …
According to Vargus, young adults using social media have been a driving force behind the popularity of reunions, intro-ducing unique ways to preserve memorable experiences, such as creating online historical databases.
“There are now such a variety of tools that the earlier griots of the family did not have,” she says.
From choosing a location to buying festive favors, here is our comprehensive guide to hosting the perfect reunion:
5 MEMORY-
MAKING ACTIVITIES
3 ALL-AMERICANGet patriotic with your clan by celebrating the best of the USA. Wear red, white and blue to show off your pride. Grandparents, give kids a personal his-
tory lesson by show-ing them photos and
memorabilia from the wars you have fought in, political activism and emphasize your family’s contribution
to the founding of America.
TAKE OUR QUIZ TO FIND OUT!
What Type of Family Reunion Is
Best for Your Brood?
legal documents including draft cards, slave re-cords and emanci-pation documents.
from templates on Celebrate.MyEvent.com
Austin TX. March 1992.
TRACE YOUR DNAAND FIND YOUR ROOTS WITH AFRICANANCESTRY.COMGenetic testing can produce an accurate lineage and connection to the continent of Africa. Ask an elder to use the swabbing kit, capture it on fi lm and showcase the results at the reunion.
CO
RB
IS/A
RIE
L S
KE
LL
EY
LEFT: Gina Paige, African Ancestry co-founder, with singer-songwriter India.Arie
SKIP THE AGE-OLD BOXY T-SHIRT. TRY ONE OF THESE PICKS FOR THE FRESHEST FAMILY FASHIONS.
9 MONTHS AHEAD● Compile list of invitees ● Establish committee● Create a budget● Begin to research potential host city/
location and attractions
6 MONTHS AHEAD● Outline itinerary and schedule● Reserve hotel rooms, restaurants,
parks and group transportation, if necessary
● Create a reunion website
4 MONTHS AHEAD● Send formal invitations ● Begin collecting family memorabilia
3 MONTHS AHEAD● Finalize menus with restaurants/ caterers● Reserve group tickets● Finalize plans for reunion favors
2 MONTHS AHEAD● Reserve photographer/videographer ● Finalize activities● If necessary, adjust hotel block for
last-minute attendees● Order favors or personalized T-shirts
2 WEEKS AHEAD● Create welcome packets and sched-
ule of events, maps, contact list● Confi rm fi nal number of attendees
with attractions and vendors● Confi rm with photographer
3 DAYS AHEAD● Shop for signs, decorations and last-
minute supplies● Arrange for taxis or family members
to welcome others at the airports ● Meet with committee to review details,
responsibilities and address concerns
THE DAY BEFORE● Pick up any rental equipment● Prepare payment for vendors (and
don’t forget the tip money)● Get plenty of sleep!
1
CHAIN GANGLadies will love to
wear a dainty initial to represent their family name, while
guys can sport manly dogtags with their name, relation
and reunion year.M.Frances Jew-
elry Initial Charm Necklace ($37;
etsy.com)Dog Tags Pronto Dogtags ($69.50 for 10; etsy.com)
2
TOTE-ALLY AWESOME
Represent your home state or your family’s last name with a customized
tote bag. BaggedandLoad-
ed I Love Texas Tote ($17.50; etsy.
com)BaggedandLoad-ed Personalized Vintage Flower
Circle Tote in Plum ($17.50; etsy.com)
3
BRAND ITThe “Keep calm and
carry on” slogan has permeated pop
culture thanks to memes, posters and
coff ee mugs. So why not use it for
your reunion? Plug in your family
name, and voilà!Keep Calm & Love Jackson Baseball
Jersey and Gym Bag ($34.49 and $30.99;
cafepress.com)
4
PHONE HOMEPersonalized cell phone cases are nothing new, but
artist Lisa Nelson depicts families as
quirky cartoons. The perfect take-
away for an inti-mate reunion.
My Little Buff alo Custom Family Illustration and
iPhone Case ($65 and $30;
etsy.com)
78 V I S I T E B O N Y . C O M / A P R I L 2 0 1 4
Family Reunion Swag
PlanningChecklistPlanningChecklistPlanningChecklistPlanning
C U S T O M F A V O R S
1
2
3
4
L I V E Family Reunion
BE THE REUNION HOST WITH THE
MOST WITH THIS TO-DO
TIME LINE