Family Reunion in an Afternoon

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Aunt Mo

You want to have a family reunion but…

You don’t have a 3 day weekend for your family reunion.

You don’t think you can stand listening to Uncle George’s lame jokes for an entire weekend.

You can’t stand the thought of feeding all those hungry people.

Planning all those games and activities is just too overwhelming.

In my family reunion presentations I tell people that ANYTIME you get together with your family can be a family reunion. There are no rules that say you have to spend a certain amount of time with your extended family to make it an “official” reunion.

A typical family reunion will assemble grandparents, aunts and uncles and tons of kids that share the same surname for a meal, some games and activities and maybe even some genealogy discussion and if all you have is a Saturday afternoon in the park then start planning!

Let’s look at a possible schedule for a possible family reunion in an afternoon.

Things to do in advance

Be sure to reserve your location if holding your reunion at a park or hall. Ask family members to bring a sack lunch for the noon meal and make food assignments or ask everyone to bring a potluck dish for the evening meal.

Send out invitations

Include food assignments and items such as swim suits or softball equipment. If you are planning to go swimming, golfing, bowling etc. include how much these activities will cost.

Choose a theme. A family reunion doesn’t have to have a theme to be successful but creating a theme for a family reunion is a great way to interest people and make them more likely to attend. A reunion invitation that invites you to a “Prehistoric” reunion for Brontosaurs burgers is more interesting than an invitation that invites you to a family reunion at “the park”. It also makes things more fun when it comes to being imaginative with food, games, activities, invitations and just about every other aspect of the reunion.

10:30 Registration

Set up a registration table for attendees to receive a name tag and schedule of activities. This is a great time to get family member’s phone numbers, email and home addresses. Provide an activity that family members can participate in while waiting for everyone to arrive. Try a huge game of badminton or volleyball for the teenagers, sugar cookie decorating or a coloring page for the youngsters and printable Older Than Dirt Game for the older generation.

11:00 Ice Breaker getting to know you games.

My favorite ice breaker game is DO YOU LOVE YOUR RELATIVE?

The group sits in a circle with room in the center. The person that is “IT” does not have a chair and stands in the center of the circle. “IT” walks up to one of the people in the circle, points to someone and asks, “_________, do you love your relative?” The individual pointed to can say one of two things:

“Yes I love my relatives (everyone sitting in the circle must move to a new chair)

“No, I don’t love my relatives but I love everyone _____________________.” Fill in the blank with things like- everyone that is wearing green, everyone that likes chocolate, everyone that has a dog or everyone that wears glasses. (Only the people that meet the requirements move to a different chair.)

In both situations, the person that asks the question runs to sit on a chair. The person left standing, without a chair to sit on, is the new “IT”.

Family Reunion Helper has lots of fun Ice Breaker Games. You will need to plan on playing two to three games.

12:00 Sack lunches and family photo

After lunch you will want to take a picture of your family. It doesn’t need to be professional, just a record of who attended the reunion.

1:00 Extra Curricular Activity

Arrange in advance for your family to go swimming, bowling, roller skating, hiking or a road rally scavenger hunt. Some families like to split up during this time so people can participate in several activities- some may go golfing while others shop or make a craft. This will be your major activity. For some activities such as boating or visiting an amusement park you may need to schedule more time.

3:00 Theme Activities Craft or Fund Raiser

If you have chosen a theme for your reunion now is the time to do some of those activities. This is also the time to do any fund raising such as an auction or raffle.

4:30 Genealogy Spotlight and Business Meeting

Ask someone that is a good story teller to share an interesting story from your family history. It is very important that this presentation appeal to all family members and includes pictures and props. You may also want to take a few minutes to discuss any family business such as when and where to hold you next reunion.

5:00 Dinner

You may do a potluck dinner, a meal that reflects your reunion theme (dinosaur theme- Brontosaurus Burgers, western theme- chuck wagon beans etc.) Other simple meal ideas are a baked potato or taco bar, grilled burgers or have your favorite pizza place deliver a variety of pizzas. Do not serve dessert at this time.

6:00 Talent Show Free Time

This is the time to let family members share their talents. Play Let’s Make A Deal to keep everyone interested between acts.

7:00 Wrap it Up

Serve dessert and thank everyone for attending your reunion. You will be tired and ready to clean up and go home but some family members will want to hang around and visit. Put them to work helping you clean up.

The Branson Family Reunion web site list five reasons to have a family reunion. One reason it lists is “Tradition”. “Tradition should be a big part of your family. Taking the time to come together and teach (in a fun way) the tradition of your family will keep it alive and strong.” Although planning a reunion can be a lot of work bringing your family together, if only for an afternoon, can be a rewarding way to keep traditions alive.

Aunt MO

Prehistoric, Caveman or Dinosaur Family Reunion

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Aunt Mo

I love this family reunion theme! It’s so flexible- with some minor tweaking your prehistoric reunion can become a dinosaur or caveman party.

A “prehistoic” theme can be the perfect choice for someone celebrating a milestone birthday and adds some good natured fun to your celebration.

One of the first family reunions I ever planned was a dinosaur reunion back in the early 80’s. We made large, plywood dinosaur cut outs to decorate our reunion site. We served Brontosaurs burgers and went on a hike to find giant dinosaur eggs.

To throw the perfect caveman party, you will need to look the part. You can find fun Caveman or Flintstones costumes and accessories at costume store or online. (A good resource for Flintstone costumes is http://www.flintstonecostumes.com/) You can also fashion your own out costumes out of fake fur, and animal-print fabrics. Don’t forget unkempt hair, bare feet, bone necklaces and hair bows, clubs and spears!

With this fun family reunion theme you can plan a Saber Tooth Tiger Cateye hike in the dark or challenge family members to work together to make a prehistoric pipeline. Prehistoric “baseball” is a silly way to enjoy America’s favorite pastime.

A fill in the blank invitation is included along with recipes and ideas for "Good Things to Eat". Don’t forget to print off the dinosaur Bunko score card and the dinosaur trivia printable and leave dinosaur footprints all over your reunion site with the footprint printable pattern. Reunion activities for one day or a weekend of prehistoric family fun!

For $19.95 you can let loose your families’ inner beast with family reunion helper’s Caveman theme package.

Prehistoric Reunion Activities include;

Invitation printables
Dinosaur riddles
Dinosaur Trivia printable Game
Baking Soda Volcano instructions
"Lost World" Obstacle Course
Pet Rock Instructions
Dinosaur cookie decorating
prehistoric baseball
prehistoric pipeline
Dinosaur footprint painting
Dinosaur Bunko
"Good Things to Eat"
children’s games and activities
team building activities
dinosaur egg hunt
fossil painting
Slime recipe
costume helps
Saber Tooth Tiger cateye hike. A night time hike with flashlights.

Helpful Hints for Building Your Family Tree

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Aunt Mo

Have you ever thought about your family tree and wondered which branch you fell from? Lots of people want to know more about their ancestry and past, but might not know where to start. The truth of the matter is that there are lots of ways to find out where you came from and what your relatives were like. It is not easy, but it is completely possible.

Interview Grandpa

Talking with your older family relatives, and while you are at it, take down their information as well. While it’s not pleasant to think about these things, it is important to remember that they won’t always be around. Eventually, your children or your grandchildren are going to want to know where they came from as well. Ask your older relatives about their families and history. You can even use a tape recorder to document their thoughts. Can they remember anything about what their parents or grandparents did? At the very least, that will give you a good place to start.

Discover Your Ancestry by Checking Official Records

Remember to hit the records as well. You can find paper records at the library and electronic ones online at ancestry databases. For example, looking up obits can give you a great deal of information about different people, their occupations, and their families.

Check for old news articles that mention family members. You never know when someone did something important. The more research you do, the more there is to learn. Also look around for any old documents that your family may have kept. Are there journals, old year books, property deeds or any other paperwork in the attic from the people who came before you?

Family Reunions- a Great Genealogy Resource

Perhaps the most information rich place to add branches to your family tree is your family reunion, especially those reunions that include extended family and branches of your family tree. You can even get children involved in building your family tree by using Family Reunion Helper’s “Super Sleuth” Challenge which guides children through the process of discovering their family history.

Consider having a family history or genealogy “church” during your reunion, a time where the family gathers together to learn about their ancestors. Make sure presentations are done creatively and with enthusiasm to keep the attention of the younger members of your family. Some fun ideas for your family history church can be found at Family Reunion Helper.

Keep Accurate Genealogy Records

When you have all of the raw information in front of you, don’t forget to record it. It is easy to get distracted by minutiae. Take a moment to write down what you learned, whether it is in a notebook or in a series of files online. Remember that you are also doing this for posterity, and the more effectively you archive your own efforts, the more likely it will be that your work is going to be useful for the people who come after you.

Rewards from Building Your Family Tree

Building a family tree takes time, patience and work, but anyone who has delved into the history of their family knows that, the more information they discover about their ancestors, the more real these people become, and the more fascinating. Building your family tree is a wonderful way to join the past with the present and by learning about ones ancestors, it helps us understand ourselves, our heritage and the roots and branches of our family tree.

Saddle Up For an Easter Egg Hunt on Horseback

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Aunt Mo

Our Stewart family’s horseback Easter egg hunt has become a tradition that we have celebrated for the past seven years, ever since we moved to Bear River City. Easter is one of my favorite holidays and horses are my favorite animal, so it just seemed natural to put them together.

I tell my adult children, “I don’t care if I have to share you on Christmas and Thanksgiving, but I want you for the Saturday before Easter.” And they come, sometimes bringing friends or other family members. Each year it seems our family changes and grows and we plan our Easter egg hunt around those changes.

To make things more fair for the inexperienced and younger riders, Uncle Steven and I hide the eggs according to color. Each rider has a different color or style of egg. For instance, last year we had basketball eggs for Kory, purple eggs for Megan, football eggs for Ryan, chicken shaped eggs for Brynna, pink eggs for Janie, and so forth.

We’ve been collecting eggs for years, and since we ask everyone to leave their eggs and just take the candy home, we have quite a collection. Assigning each rider their own color makes it possible for us to hide the eggs according to the rider’s ability. Uncle Steven especially likes to hide eggs in unusual places- like hanging them from tree branches.

A few of our family members are experienced riders and we love hiding their eggs in difficult locations- over ditches, in trees, through gates and around obstacles such as wood piles and water hazards. For our lower level riders, we have a rule that you have to be touching some part of your horse when you pick up an egg. This makes it possible for riders with less experience to get off their horse to get an egg.

Last year we added “jumbo” sized eggs to the hunt and they sure made things more challenging and interesting .

After the riders find their designated colored eggs, they are allowed to hunt for the prized golden eggs, which hold items like movie tickets, gift certificates and money.

This is the most exciting part of the hunt, as riders become a little more daring and often find themselves racing for the same golden egg as another rider.

Last year we had more little ones, so we did a hunt for them before the adult riding hunt began. We have to work the hunt around the weather, so it usually begins at about 11:00. Following the hunt, we usually play with the horses, give them their annual vaccinations and worm them, eat barbecue and potato salad and play badminton.

This year we add a new son-in-law and grandson to the mix so we’ll need two more colors of eggs and two more chairs at our Easter table. And as our family continues to grow and change, so will our Easter Egg hunt.

As for our horses, they aren’t too fond peanut butter eggs or jelly beans but they do receive their own prizes in the form of carrots, apples and other treats.

Aunt MO

Rules of Chocolate Easter Eggs

If you get melted chocolate all over your hands, you’re eating it too slowly.

If calories are an issue, store your chocolate on top of the fridge. Calories are afraid of heights, and they will jump out of the chocolate to protect themselves.

Chocolate covered raisins, cherries, orange slices and strawberries all count as fruit, so eat as many as you want.

Unusual Family Reunion Souvenirs

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Aunt Mo

An Alternative to the Family Reunion T Shirt

Don’t get me wrong- I love family reunion t-shirts but when we planned our “Survivor “ family reunion I wanted to find an unusual reunion souvenir for family members to take home with them as a remembrance of our fun reunion. We had done t-shirts for years and years and I was looking for something that would be different.

Then I remembered that one of my students, Lizzy, had given all my music students that sang at the Olympics a wooden Utah pin. I was so impressed with the detail of the pins that I asked her about them and was surprised to find that her family had a business that made cool laser products.

CountryLazer Cutting and Engraving

The name of Lizzy’s families’ business is CountryLazer and they are Utah’s leading supplier of custom laser cutting & engraving wood, acrylic, glass, mat, leather, and other products. They have been creating customized gifts and laser engraved products for over 30 years.

CountryLazer would be happy to help you with your family reunion design. They try to keep pricing around 1- 2 dollars- less expensive then the traditional t-shirt.

I love their cute pioneer wagon kit that could be assembled at your heritage reunion and would serve as a reunion craft and memento.

CountryLazer has a wide variety of designs for name tags, hat pins, wooden boxes, toys, awards, plaques, picture frames, scouting memorabilia, and Christmas gifts.

Design Your Own Family Reunion Souvenir

They will also work with you to create a completely unique product that shows your individual style or your company’s commitment to excellence. They can engrave your logo, graphic, or custom message on almost any material to make your product look more personal and professional.

So if you’re looking for a new way to remember your family reunion check out countrylazer.com.

Aunt MO

We do not remember days; we remember moments. ~Cesare Pavese, The Burning Brand

Baby, Bronco, Backpack

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Aunt Mo

If you’re looking for a fun game that any number of people can play and that doesn’t need a lot of advance preparation or props then “Baby, Bronco, Backpack” is the game for you.

Gather your group together and have them split into groups of two. It’s usually best if groups are fairly evenly matched- same size and strength etc. but mismatched teams can add to the fun.

Explain the three poses teams must be able to form.

If the leader of the game says “BRONCO” one person in each group of two will jump down on all fours and the second team member will sit on their back as if they are riding a horse.

If the leader says “BABY” one of the players in each team of two will jump into the arms of the second team member as if they are being cradled like a baby.

If the leader says “BACKPACK” one of the players in each group of two will jump on the back of the second player like they are getting a piggy back ride.

The last team of two to form up the combination is out of the game and teams are eliminated until there are two teams left and the winning team is determined.

For larger groups you may need to say that the last three are out.
As teams get a little more experience you can make the game more fun by yelling out combinations of movements such as “BABY, BRONCO, BACKPACK, BABY, GO!” The teams of two will frantically go through all of those until they perform the last “BABY.”

BABY!

HINT: One rule that may help you keep some control of the game is to explain before hand that the teams can not move until you say “GO!”

In-Laws, Outlaws and Offspring- a New Family Reunion Song

Posted on February 26, 2012 by Aunt Mo

Family Reunion Helper gave away a free family reunion theme package to one of our lucky subscribers, Dana Jo Forseth. What a wonderful surprise to make a new friend and learn more about this talented songwriter and singer.

Dana Jo has written a lot of songs and her latest album. “Driven”, features a family reunion song called, “In-laws, Outlaws and Offspring”. I love, love, love the lyrics of Dana Jo’s reunion song- oh, the picture she paints through her words. I can just see family members lip syncing the song at our reunion talent show. Smile

“One hundred people scattered through
Some dozen rooms we rent
And whoever can’t deal with their mother-in-law
Is free to bring a tent”

You can listen to her song on Dana Jo’s webpage
http://danajoforseth.com/category/audio/

You can purchase the song on Amazon where you can also listen to snippets of all the songs on her latest album, the mastered versions , and that way they have a link to purchase right there.
http://www.amazon.com/Driven/dp/B006QYO5C8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330196058&sr=8-1

Dana Jo and I have corresponded through email the last month or so and I had the opportunity to learn a little more about her passion for singing, songwriting and family.

AUNT MO: Dana Jo, tell us a little about yourself.

DANA JO: I was born and raised on a farm outside of Fairfield, Montana, and I’ve always loved music. I studied Business in college and work now as an accountant at a utility company in Montana, but I love to write, play and sing. I’ve always wanted to record, and I hope I’ll have more opportunities to do that in the future.

AUNT MO: Where did you get the idea for your family reunion song, "In-laws, Outlaws and Offspring"?

DANA JO: I come from a very large family (there are over 150 people on my mother’s side of the family) and every 3 years, we gather for a week, usually at a lake or in the mountains somewhere. Growing up, I’ve always known members of my family, and even though many of us get together all the time for holidays and weddings, these reunions are to credit (blame? Smile ) for how close we are as a group. The memories I made there are as much a part of my childhood as the place I grew up.

(A favorite family reunion activity- kids playing in the lake (“flying off the rope swing” etc) back in the 80s.)

DANA JO: A few of my relatives (more-so, the “outlaws”) were good with a guitar and I spent hours with my cousins sitting around a campfire, wishing I knew how to play one. This was one of the first songs I ever wrote—and while I am nostalgic for our reunions (and they do still go on), I approached it almost with an irreverence…because, well, that’s how my family approaches a lot of things.

(This is a picture of all eight of the Ward sisters doing a chorus line styled leg-kick back in 1975. This became somewhat of a tradition at every reunion for as long as they all could do the kick.)

AUNT MO: I love the lyric that says "playing guess whose kid that is." I think that is so funny- sounds like you’ve spent some time at family reunions. What are some of your favorite family reunion traditions?

Back when I was a kid, we would plan a lot of activities for the evenings that would get us all together as a group. We’d have a trivia night, Water Olympics, an award ceremony, talent/skit show, game/tournament nights and the like for everyone, then as the younger and older would wander off to bed, we’d stay up and tell scary stories around the campfire, or (when I got older of course) play poker and drink a few beers. Another favorite activity was cooking meals in the kitchen with our cousins and siblings, or learning from the aunts how to bake cinnamon rolls or potato bread. One year we tried a karaoke night. I don’t think we ever did that again…

(The the evolution of reunion activities to playing “Just Dance” on the Wii.)

AUNT MO: I love the song title, “In-Laws, Outlaws and Offspring”- how did you come up with that?

DANA JO: I didn’t come up with it—my Mom, Caroline Forseth, did. I stole it from her after realizing I’d never heard the term anywhere else. As to how she came up with it? I’m not really sure…but I just think she’s a genius.

AUNT MO: Tell us about the first song you ever wrote.

DANA JO: I wrote lyrics for years before I ever finished a song. When I was a junior in high school, I was just starting to put together enough music theory to understand how to pair the music with the words. So I finished my first whole song that Easter, and played it publicly for the first (and only) time at my high school’s spring concert. It was also the first time I ever sang a solo in front of people—so talk about nerves! I hadn’t told anyone about it other than my band teacher—my parents were very surprised and I think a little delighted. The song was nothing special—it was called “So Far From Yesterday” and the register was so high I could hardly sing it. But I could only play it in the key I wrote it in. Luckily, the critics were silent and the night ended with some really great pizza in a neighboring town.

AUNT MO: What a great story, you’ve come along way from high school spring concert- you’ve just released a new album- who do you hope will hear the album?

DANA JO: I’m just trying to get it out to the ears of the people who will love it—and that could be anyone at all. Even though it (and I) came from a rural place, I feel like there’s something on this record for everyone. It celebrates family roots, grieves losses and explores sadness, deals with a bad day, enjoys love, and shakes off heartbreak. The emotions are universal, and being mostly-acoustic, many of the songs are so stripped down that fans of all different genres can enjoy them. I really enjoyed writing these songs, and I’m so excited that people finally get to hear them.

Good luck to Dana Jo and her family and just in case you’re wondering- Dana Jo choose Book One of the Pipe Chimes books so I bet the Forseth family will be making music on the conduit pipes at their next family reunion.

Aunt MO

Family Reunion Road Rally Scavenger Hunt

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Aunt Mo

A road rally scavenger hunt can be a fun activity at your next family reunion or party. A road rally scavenger hunt is really nothing more than an scavenger hunt using cars.

There is no limit to the number of teams you can have with a scavenger hunt just be sure you have a seat belt for each person in your car and an adult driver for each car. Give each team team a digital camera or ask teams to bring a camera on your invitation to the reunion. Require that photographic evidence be taken of each task that is completed.

Create a list of tasks that are safe and time friendly. Give each task or challenge a point value. The photo that would the hardest to get should get the highest points. You can award additional points for creativity or for extra effort.

Set a time limit for the group to be back. It should be reasonable-anywhere from 1 to 2 hours, enough time to get the amount of photos in the scavenger hunt.

When the group comes back, compare pictures. It is most fun to project the pictures up on a large screen or wall so that everyone can see the photos the other teams took. There will be lots of cheering and booing but being able to view all the photos just makes the activity that much more fun.

Award prizes to the winning team and consider giving the driver of the winning car a gas card.

Road Rally Scavenger Hunt Ideas

Below is a list of suggestions for your road rally scavenger hunt:

1. Find a gumball machine and buy one gumball for everyone in your car. Take a picture of everyone blowing a bubble- score 1 point for every bubble in the picture.

2. Find an out of state license plate take a picture. Score 1 point, 2 points for an Alaska or Hawaii plate. Or perhaps license plate with the letter "Q" on it.

3. Make a human pyramid in front of the fountain at the Mall. Ask someone to take a picture for you.

4. Take a picture of someone walking a dog.

5. Find someone to dance on Main Street and take their picture.

6. Do a Chinese fire drill at a stop sign.

7. Take a picture of a moon. (This photo scored extra points for creativity because the team went into a book store and found the moon on a book.)

8. Find a phone booth. See how many of your team can fit into the phone booth. Have someone take your picture. Score one point for each person in the booth.

9. Go to a Department Store and act like mannequins until someone notices you. Get a picture in the store.

10. Go to a gas station and put 1.00 worth of gas in your car- take a picture of the pump with $1.00 on it. Deduct one point for every cent you are over or under.

11. Go to a motel or hotel and take a group photo by room number 222.

12. Go to the slide of the nearest playground and get of picture of each team member going down it.

13. Go to a convenience store like 7/11 and have everyone walk in backwards up and down the aisles. stop at register, buy a candy bar and walk out backwards. Take a picture of the 7/11 door.

You can also ask teams to get pictures of a spire, school or perhaps a sign with your family name on it. If you are getting together during a holiday season ask teams for pictures of holiday decorations- for instance, a turkey at Thanksgiving time or someone sitting on Santa’s lap during the Christmas season.

NOTE: You can also plan a scavenger hunt using public transportation but will need to budget more time for the activity.

You can find more automobile themed party ideas in a blog Aunt Mo wrote about a Family Reunion Hot Wheels Party.

Shoe Box Floats for Your Family Reunion

Posted on January 30, 2012 by Aunt Mo

It seems everyone is making “shoebox floats” for their Mardi Graw celebrations and it got me thinking- how about a shoebox parade as a family reunion activity.

A shoe box float is just a shoe box flipped over with the lid attached to the back to form a backdrop. These boxes are then decorated like a parade float.

To decorative your shoe box float gather objects such as glitter, buttons, costume jewelry, feathers, sequins, tissue paper, scrap paper, small shells or rocks, tinsel, foil, markers, paint, crayons, photos, pipe cleaners, buttons, dolls or action figures, or small toys.

Place the large part of the shoebox upside down and attach the lid of the shoebox at one end. Paint the boxes, or cover with paper and decorate.

Choose a theme for your shoebox float parade. At a family reunion, you could ask participants to decorate their float to represent themselves- a great “getting to know you” activity or assign each family an ancestor to research and then decorate their float to represent that ancestor.

Rules you might want to consider for your shoebox float parade:

1. Do not place the shoebox on a piece of cardboard larger than the shoebox.

2. Do not create a diorama float using the inside of the box.

3. Float dimensions: The shoebox float must be made of a cardboard shoebox no larger than 13” x 9”. A completed decorated float should not exceed 15 inches in height..

Of course, you’ll want to give out a few awards for the “Most Beautiful”, “Most Creative Use of Materials”, “Judges Choice” and Most Unique floats.

I found a great website for step by step instructions for shoebox floats that might be helpful.

http://blog.mardigrasoutlet.com/2011/02/create-mini-mardi-gras-parade-float-out.html

When planning your 2012 family reunion consider a shoebox float parade and see just how creative your family can be.

Aunt MO

Top Ten Tips for Great Family Reunion T-Shirts

Posted on November 24, 2011 by Aunt Mo

Ideal bulk clothing for your family reunions

Family reunions are a terrific way to vacation and spend much needed quality time to reconnect with far away relatives. They can be difficult to organize considering schedules and distances, so it is nice to have a keepsake to remember these rare events and good times. Here are some tips to ease the process of making souvenir t-shirts.

Tip #1- Design a family logo

Reunion t-shirts often include basic information like the date and place of the event, the family name, a fun phrase, and a logo. Why not relieve some of the stress of planning the event by asking an artist in the family to design a logo for the reunion. It can be a lot of fun for a child or teenager to be the one who designs the t-shirts for everyone. You can find some great family reunion quotes at

http://familyreunionhelper.com/blog/2011/04/family-reunion-quotes/

Tip #2- Wear shirts of different colors to identify sub-families or generations

It is a cute idea to have each separate sub-family or generation wear a different color t-shirt, and possibly a different design as well. This can be helpful for more distant relatives in figuring out exactly who everyone is, and it is a smart tool for younger children to figure out the family tree.

Tip #3- Design T-shirts round your reunion theme

It is more fun to dress up the t-shirt logo to a theme. If
the reunion is a destination weekend, make a design of a road sign with the mileages to the towns of each family from the event location. Say it is a circus theme; make a circus sign, with the details of the date and family slogan, etc. If it is a beach location reunion, make a family tree logo out of a palm tree or write different family names on seashell logos.

Design for Mafia themed reunion

Dinosaur theme T-shirts

Tip #4- Use a “family togetherness” themed T-shirt

It could simply be a family togetherness theme. One side of the t-shirt can be the event logo, and on the back can be the names of the family members, or it can be a fun list. For example, "You know you’re a [family name] if…," followed by a list of "family-isms." The possibilities are truly endless!

One blank t-shirt that is easy to print on and is also guaranteed to please every member of the family is the Gildan G200 6.1 oz. Ultra Cotton T-Shirt. It is a very breathable 100% preshrunk cotton that also has moisture-wicking properties. It is available in sixty-six colors and eight sizes ranging from S-5XL. This unisex t-shirt has comparable varieties available in women’s, youth, and extra large tall sizes.

Tip #5- Consider climate and weather conditions when designing your reunion T-shirts

For chillier event locations or reunions in colder months, this Gildan ultra cotton t-shirt is also available with long sleeves in men’s and women’s styles with several color and size options.

For the more eco-conscious family, the Anvil OR420 Men’s Organic T-Shirt is 100% certified organic cotton. The cotton fabric is also preshrunk. It is available in fifteen colors and eight sizes ranging from XS-4XL. Available for the whole family, this Anvil t-shirt has comparable styles for women and youth. These t-shirts are also easy for printing, adding to the family reunion fun.

Tip #6- Decorate T- shirts as a reunion activity

It can be tough to find activities to fill in the weekend, especially if it rains, so why not decorate the t-shirts while at the reunion. This is an especially entertaining activity for children where they can bond with cousins they might not see often. You can download a copy of the family reunion t shirt template to color at your reunion at

Fun T- Shirt Idea

All you need are some fabric crayons, puffy paints, and other fun decorating supplies.

Tip #7- Create DIY Sandpaper T-Shirts

A new trend in DIY t-shirts is coloring on sandpaper with crayons, then ironing to the t-shirt. All that is required to seal the design is a run through the dryer. Follow this link to find complete instructions for “sand paper” T-shirts.
http://alphamom.com/family-fun/crafts/sandpaper-printed-t-shirt/

Tip #8- Design sports themed T-shirts using “Raglan” t-shirts

For families who have sports activities planned, such as softball, kickball, football, or other games, raglan t-shirts are a great option.

Raglan t-shirts are known more commonly as "baseball tees," with their diagonally sewn shoulders that allow for more upper-body movement. To plan for games, make t-shirts in two different colors for opposing teams, and put last names and a number on the back.

These could be the individual’s first or last name, a nickname, or any family name, and any number such as the year the person was born, or simply the year of the reunion. The Anvil 2184 ¾-Sleeve Raglan Baseball Jersey is 100% preshrunk cotton with moisture-wicking properties and contrasting colors on the body and sleeves. It is available in an adult unisex variety in eight colors and five sizes ranging from S-2XL. It is also available in youth sizes, so the children can participate in the athletic activities. And try some baseball caps or visors for added fun and a better distinction of teams. The baseball caps and visors can be a lot of fun to decorate right before the game with team names.

Tip #9- Think “outside” the box

Don’t wait for your “summer” reunion to make family
t-shirts. Consider designing shirts for other family get-together such as Christmas or Easter or a 50th anniversary celebration. Any time your family gathers is a great time to make t-shirts as a remembrance of the occasion.

Tip #10- Tote bags and t-shirt quilts

Tote bags are also a lot of fun to make for family members for reunions. It can be a nice gesture to have guest bags ready for each reserved room at the hotel. These bags can be filled with the pre-made t-shirts for the weekend, brochures of activities in town, candies and other local foods, and a family related project like a book or letter of life updates. The BAGedge BE002 Non-Woven Promo Tote is a nice choice for this bag. Its dimensions are 14.75"w x 14.5"h x 2.75"d, so it is a perfect fit for these items as well as other souvenirs that may not fit well in luggage on the journey back home. It can be a lot of fun to decorate before distributing. It is also available in nine colors, for a perfect match to the family style.

Another fun idea is to make a patched quilt of t-shirts. Each family can bring a few of the same pattern that represents their own household. At the party, everyone can exchange the designed t-shirts, and make their own quilts with the other designs while at the party, or after they go home. Either way, it is a fun keepsake of a meaningful reunion. Follow this link for step by step instructions for making a t-shirt quilt.
http://quiltbug.com/articles/Tshirt-quilts.htm

Family reunions are special and memorable events that are cherished by all who attend. Over the years, the T-shirt has become the popular and enduring keepsake item of any successful family reunion. A great resource for reunion t-shirts is www.shirtsinbulk.com By creating a family reunion T-shirt you not only create a keepsake item that can be worn to remember a fun and fantastic reunion, but also creates family unity at the event itself. Try any of these ten tips for a guaranteed "t-riffic" reunion!!

You want to have a family reunion but…

Send out invitations

10:30 Registration

11:00 Ice Breaker getting to know you games.

12:00 Sack lunches and family photo

1:00 Extra Curricular Activity

3:00 Theme Activities Craft or Fund Raiser

4:30 Genealogy Spotlight and Business Meeting

5:00 Dinner

6:00 Talent Show Free Time

7:00 Wrap it Up

Interview Grandpa

Discover Your Ancestry by Checking Official Records

Family Reunions- a Great Genealogy Resource

Keep Accurate Genealogy Records

Rewards from Building Your Family Tree

An Alternative to the Family Reunion T Shirt

CountryLazer Cutting and Engraving

Design Your Own Family Reunion Souvenir

Road Rally Scavenger Hunt Ideas

Ideal bulk clothing for your family reunions

Tip #1- Design a family logo

Tip #2- Wear shirts of different colors to identify sub-families or generations

Tip #3- Design T-shirts round your reunion theme

Tip #4- Use a “family togetherness” themed T-shirt

Tip #5- Consider climate and weather conditions when designing your reunion T-shirts

For chillier event locations or reunions in colder months, this Gildan ultra cotton t-shirt is also available with long sleeves in men’s and women’s styles with several color and size options.

Tip #6- Decorate T- shirts as a reunion activity

Tip #7- Create DIY Sandpaper T-Shirts

Tip #8- Design sports themed T-shirts using “Raglan” t-shirts

For families who have sports activities planned, such as softball, kickball, football, or other games, raglan t-shirts are a great option.

Raglan t-shirts are known more commonly as "baseball tees," with their diagonally sewn shoulders that allow for more upper-body movement. To plan for games, make t-shirts in two different colors for opposing teams, and put last names and a number on the back.

Tip #9- Think “outside” the box

Tip #10- Tote bags and t-shirt quilts

Follow us