-
Step 1
Trade T-shirts for badges. Family reunion planning often means a family-themed T-shirt for every attendee. If time is money, it can be very time consuming to figure out sizes for everyone, as well as expensive to order. Custom T-shirt services usually make you choose a minimum number for each size, and the smaller the number, the higher the price. And, not everyone really likes wearing T-shirts. Yet, it’s fun to have each family member wear something that unifies them. Family reunion badges are one-size fits all and can cost less than $1.50 each, and allow family members to wear whatever shirts they they want to wear to the gathering.
-
Step 2
Make T-shirts less expensive. Okay, you simply must have T-shirts. Have them printed in black and white only on white cotton. Then, ask any parents to contribute a few new fabric markers so kids can color and decorate their own T-shirts around the pre-printed black and white design, and perhaps even adorn the T-shirts of the adults. This way you’ll pay less for the T-shirts and add a fun family reunion activity.
-
Step 3
Make it a themed potluck. Family reunion planning often means one person or a small group is mainly in charge, but even those furthest away and the busiest like to feel they’ve contributed something valuable. Potlucks can save hundreds on catering and much time on picking up bulk foods at warehouse stores when each person or family contributes one simple item. And when you add a theme to the potluck, the challenge makes the family reunion planning for food even more fun. Come up with a theme such as something that celebrates the season, the local family reunion destination, or the range of ethnicities that make up the family. Then ask the distant relatives to bring something lightweight, non-liquid and nonperishable, ask the very busy ones to bring pre-made drinks, and those nearby with enough time to bring homecooked main dishes, side dishes, munchies, desserts or to bring their own barbecue and be the chef in charge.
-
Step 4
Do your own amateur photo shoot or put together a digital family reunion collage instead of hiring a professional photographer. Professionals are good at making sure hordes of people are all represented in a single family photo. But with digital cameras, even with the small, inexpensive digital cameras, you can set up your own and take multiple photos without paying for them that assure you can find at least one that’s useable. Or, to help get teenage boys away from their portable video games during the gathering, give them the job of taking digital photos of the reunion, making sure there are at least three front shots of every person who attends. Delegate one adult with a digital camera to make sure to get at least three front shots of the boys. This assures there’s at least one good photo of everybody. After the reunion, have a digital collage or digital album made up with a shot or two of everyone and put it up on a free private hosting site such as Shutterfly, allowing individuals to view it online, and at their own expense and under no pressure, purchase (often very inexpensive) prints from their own computers.
-
Step 5
Take a game or craft activity inventory. Ask nearby family members what interactive non-video games they already have laying around their homes. Crocket? Scrabble? Jigsaw puzzles? Frisbees? Lawn golf or plastic baseball sets? how about surplus activity materials? Colored chalk for the kids? A shoebox full of crayons and old coloring books? Then add games and activities to the family reunion planning, estimating the number of people who might be interested and what times of the day would be best to have the games available.
-
Step 6
Look into state parks for family reunion locations. State parks can offer some of the least expensive yet most beautiful places for family reunions as compared to privately owned commercial destination sites. Some even have covered or indoor facilities. Do a search of your chosen geographical area’s state parks to see what they offer.
