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

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LL

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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

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L I V E Family Reunion

BE THE REUNION HOST WITH THE

MOST WITH THIS TO-DO

TIME LINE