Help ... I need some of your great suggestions about some fun and interesting things to do at a first time family reunion. The only family reunions that I have attended have been boring and not well organized. Since I will be involved in the planning of this reunion I would like to make it a little different. I am counting on this creative group to help me out !! Thanks Dee

Dee, One thing that went over big for the younger children at one event was a long table covered with white paper, littered with crayons, coloring books, small (age appropriate) toys, etc. [my daughter purchased many of the items for this table at clearance sales, garage sales, etc.). This table kept the younger children occupied coloring on the white paper table cover and in the coloring books, and playing with the toys, and socializing with each other. As each child left, that child was allowed to take a toy and coloring book home with him/her. At the end of the day, the remaining toys were divided among the remaining younger children. This "Children's table" was a huge success. At another family reunions, they set up one of those room divider that has several panels. This room Divider had four panels (so using front and back of each panel gave 8 surfaces). This reunion was for descendants of an ancestor who had 7 children, so eight surfaces was perfect. On the front of the first panel were photos of the elder ancestors, groups photos of the children, the ancestral home, etc. At the top, above the photos was genealogy and family history information. The next panel contained photos of the eldest child, his wife and children, the next panel was that of the next eldest child, her spouse and children, etc. Each child and that child's family had their own panel. Wedding photos and baby were posted on appropriate panels, too, if available. Also found were little cards with stories of, or memorials to, or tidbits of interesting or humorous information about the people in the photos. Those notes (tall tales?) added by one sibling to another sibling's panel were often the most humorous. Some of my husbands family reunions are held at a "rifle club" or "Schutzenverin". This is a big octagon shaped building used for Weddings, Dances, reunions, etc. Inside this building is an inner area [inner circle], usually used as a dance floor, and an outer area [outer circle], where the tables and chairs usually are at weddings and dances). For their family reunion, though, the tables and chairs are pulled into the center area and all the business and visiting and auctions are held there. The other area, where the tables and chairs were pulled from, is left empty, and the children are allowed to play there. The children are still inside the building and can easily be seen and heard, but not the noise is outside the adult activity area. The people, in the inner circle, can visit, conduct business and auctions, etc, without disturbing the children and without the children disturbing them. The children don't have to go to the outer area, but they seem to do so naturally. They have plenty of room to run, play, giggle and have a great time. One reunion we all got together at Sea World, and another year, that same group got together at Fiesta Texas. Each family paid their own way, of course, but we were all able to get discounts. Everyone did pretty much their own thing, but we kept running into each other, and we did have some specific times established to meet at specific places or shows too. I think everyone enjoyed those two reunions tremendously. There was camaraderie, but there was a lot of freedom to do ones own thing, too. I hope you find something in all of that that might be useful. As a side note: My Kentucky Ancestor just happened to removed himself to, and settle in, the heart of Cajun Country (Southwest Louisiana), so we always have a Cajun band at our reunions. There is nothing boring about a good Cajun band <grin>. "We dance and pass ourselves a good time yes!". And when we have a potluck, the food usually consists of items like Cajun Rice Dressing, Boudin, Cracklins, Gumbo, sweet Potato Crunch with marshmallows, Bread pudding, and if early enough in the spring, crawfish etouffee! Nothing boring about the food either <grin>. -----Original Message----- From: kyfisher [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 13 April, 2005 11:14 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [KYNELSON-L] Family Reunion Question Help ... I need some of your great suggestions about some fun and interesting things to do at a first time family reunion. The only family reunions that I have attended have been boring and not well organized. Since I will be involved in the planning of this reunion I would like to make it a little different. I am counting on this creative group to help me out !! Thanks Dee