A family reunion is a trivia game at your fingertips. It's a time when people of all ages can learn from one another. You can use your family history to compile trivia questions for competitive games or for a casual discussion. Questions can start out easy, but the fun is in the ones that really stump people.
Historical Data
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One way to stump family members is to ask questions referencing those who died long ago. You could ask what year a family ancestor left the country from which he emigrated, or how old he was at the time. If you have ancestors who were honored for their achievements, trivia questions can help keep the memory of those achievements alive. On the other hand, examining a less-than-flattering incident that involved an ancestor could make for a provocative game of multiple-choice questions, assuming it's in good taste and doesn't offend anyone.
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By the Numbers
While your family members may know each other well, they might not know the entire family by the numbers. See how many people actually know the number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren that a particular ancestor had. You can also ask who attended the most family reunions, who had the most kids, and how many reunions your family has had and where they were held.
Quiz Time
Before the family reunion, send a list of questions to all who are invited. Find out some of their favorite things, such as movies, TV shows, songs, food and vacation spots. Ask what they collect, what their college majors were, their most embarrassing moments and other questions. Develop a quiz of trivia questions based on their answers and pass out the quiz to everyone who attends the reunion.
The Non-Blood Relatives
Don't forget those who married into the family. Their family trees could have branches full of fascinating personalities and events. Find out what is the most common country of origin for these relatives. Or, gather trivia from these family members as a way to both stump attendees and help everyone learn more about them.
- iPentimento Genealogy and History: 10 Family Reunion Game Questions; April 30, 2010
- Family History Products.com: Family Reunion Activities and Family Reunion Game Ideas That Bring Family Closer Together and Help Preserve Family History
- Family-Reunion.com Newsletter; June 2004
- Amber Skyline.com: Grow Your Family Tree With These Family Reunion Ideas
- Genealogy.com: Icebreakers: Warming Up the Family; Edith Wagner