Make Family Reunion Memorable In Christmas
Christmas is celebrated on 25th December to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. Billions of people across the world celebrate this festival with family members. Such an event allows them to meet with each other and cherish their memories. Most importantly, such times also bring the younger generation of a family reunion.
However, a family reunion involves bringing dozens of members to one place, which could be your backyard or a commercial venue. Organizing such an event is not easy, and it poses different challenges, especially if you are planning it for the first time.
So, take conducting the family reunion at Christmas as a challenge. It is your time to show your organizational skills and compel your family members to attend. There is a lot to experiment with. But it is all about making the occasion memorable for every attendee.
Here Is What You Need To Do For A Successful Family Reunion
Plan It Well With Details
Make sure that you have planned every detail well in advance. Christmas is a time to enjoy the occasion with family and do many activities for days, and this is also the time to create new memories for your younger generation.
So, chalk out the details such as the number of family members to be attended, what activities should engage them considering their age, the venue, etc. Then, discuss all such details within the family and others.
Most importantly, do not forget to send out those details to the members days ahead of Christmas. You should ask for their feedback on your plan and find out what else they want to add to the list. In this way, you will encourage them to join the celebrations.
It would be good to set up a Facebook Group, which can be a central location to contact each other and update them with your plans. You can take their feedback right away.
Know Your Budget
You will need a budget to meet various expenses such as mailings, planning a budget, reserving a park pavilion. Some family get-togethers like on cruises require a considerable amount of money. Also, you will need some money in advance to start spending on some essential expenses.
So, let the attendees know that they need to contribute their fair share. You can ask each family to contribute a set amount of seed money.
But if the expenses are too high, then it may result in lower attendance. To reduce the overall cost of arranging a family reunion, you can take measures such as booking a park shelter or a community shelter. Or, hold potluck meals.
You may also be spending on some promotional items, such as a custom t shirt with exciting slogans and images of your reunion theme.
Choose A Location
The selection of a location for a family reunion during Christmas is crucial to make the event memorable. For instance, the venue should not be distant, where most family members are unwilling to travel.
If you have a more prominent place in the backyard of your home, and it is reachable to most of the members, then it could be the best place to organize the reunion. However, if that is not possible, then a campground is a great option. Most campgrounds have party spaces such as covered pavilions, and these also have fun amenities.
An important thing to note about choosing a location is that it will determine how long your family reunion will last. A general rule is that if people have to travel a very long distance to reach the value, the duration of the reunion will also be longer. So, keep that in mind while deciding on the location.
Ask Family Members To Share Their Histories
A family reunion is also an opportune time to teach the younger generation about who the family ancestors were. It is the time to share your grandparents’ stories with the younger lot, who can then take it forward. So, tell your family stories and traditions to children.
You can arrange special sessions dedicated to sharing family values and stories while children sit around and listen. But do not limit this session to telling stories. You should also think of serving food that originates from your family traditions, a great way to revisit old memories.
Consider these main tips to make your family reunion memorable while you gather to celebrate Christmas. Plan everything in detail and well in advance, which is the key to a successful reunion event. It is also the occasion to design your own clothes, taking help from a design software tool or some expert.
Send Invitation Early
Make sure that you send out your invitation to celebrate Christmas early and not just a few days before. An early invitation will make your family members well-prepared in many ways, and they can make their minds to attend the occasion.
You can send your invitation in varied ways, including a postcard, a simple flyer, or your family newsletter, if any. But mostly, email is a good option if you are looking for an eco-friendly choice. An advantage of email is that you can send many messages of updates regarding the reunion.
How about creating a particular Facebook page where all of your family members can join and share their inputs about the family reunion on Christmas.
Ensure An Activity For Every Attendee
A well-organized occasion becomes memorable for the attendees. So, structure your celebrations in such a way that every member of the family feels involved. Chalk out activities such as knowing family history in the get-together, showing family photos, and memorabilia with some story.
Involve everyone in the activities just as they arrive. So, you should provide a plan of what a particular family member will be doing so that no one is left out.
Also, make sure that you record the memories and hire a videographer to make them appear more professional. In this way, you can preserve those memories to look back and recall every event’s activity.
Wrapping Up
When inviting your scattered family members to celebrate Christmas together, make the occasion memorable. You should plan everything and let the members know it well ahead of the event. Consider your budget and plan your venue, activities, etc., accordingly. Share your family history with the younger generation.