It is a family affair when planning reunions

The weather is getting hot, the kids are out of school, and the grown ups are pondering vacations. As the month of June ends, and July is hitting the corner, it is now the time to think about the 4th of July festivities, as well as family reunions.

As our matriarch and patriarch of the families are getting older, we want to enjoy the good times with them and the younger generations. Family reunions have been happening since the ending of slavery.

There are many cities that are popular hot spots for reunions, and Orlando is just naming one. However, most families opt to host them close to the oldest living relative.

For example, the Shetland family has been having reunions for over 35 years. The grandparents have gone on to the glory land, so the siblings still carry on the tradition at the same host city of Memphis.

There have been devious attempts by the younger family to do reunions in other cities, but the oldest living sibling still balks and carries the torch in Memphis.

Some families combine different members into one big reunion. For instance, JoAnn has her grandfather’s family and her husband’s paternal father’s family combined in their annual event each year in Dallas.

Since the pandemic, the thought of reunions, especially in 2020, was a non-factor. However, studies show more people are getting vaccinated and continuing to abide by social distancing rules and wearing masks. Therefore, families now know how to come together in a safe and welcoming environment.

When planning a family reunion, you first have to agree on which city or town will be the host. The best bet is to have about 6 members of the family to act as organizers. Some will be in charge of collecting a head count and ordering t-shirts, while others will be collecting fees from the families.

Now that everyone is using social media, there shouldn’t be any problems getting everyone together. If the older ones are not on a social media platform, keep them abreast of the planning by telephone, in person, and/or mail.

Once a city host has been agreed upon, it will be time to find a host hotel. Cities like St. Louis, Detroit, Chicago, and Boston, just to name a few, are terrible cities to book hotels. Mainly because of the rabid sport fans they have and people traveling in and out to watch baseball in July.

So, with that being the case, either avoid these cities’ hotels or book when the teams are away out of town. Some families have large homes to accommodate each other, but since Covid-19 is still a factor, it is best to book and block some hotel rooms.

After you get the hotel out of the way, it will be time to find a host urban park where you can enjoy each other outside, BBQ, and listen to live music. St. Louis is a winner with its spacious and beautiful Forest Park, and its many picnic grounds.

Someone should also be in charge of the food, and what reunion could you have without BBQ? Check out your local meat market special, but keeping in mind, you are not the only one who might be having a reunion in town. So, go shopping early and know how much to buy while you are there.

While one organizer is promoting the event, there should be one organizer making sure the kids, as well as the adults, are well entertained. During this time, you should get creative and try some new and exciting things.

Face painting
Karaoke (for adults as well)
Dance contests
Volley ball
Playing card games
Soft ball
Live DJ (Uncle Jerome can play music from his laptop)
Memory books
Board games
Cook outs

More:

According to Family Destination Guide, there are other ways to get the family in the mood for reunions. It’s never too early to start planning a nice, leisurely outing with your family.

Truth is, life is hard and you deserve a break every once in a while. So how about a holiday at one of the best resorts for family reunions?

No matter what your idea of chilling with your spouse and little ones is, there is a place that caters to it. And don’t fret over the research. It’s all taken care of.

Whether you’re thinking about Texas and Florida or New York and Vermont, we got you.

Let the planning begin.