Last weekend, The Watkins Family Reunion was held. It had been many years since our last reunion.
This type of event gives us opportunities to gather family stories. Many of us brought pictures that everyone enjoyed. A trip back to the “good old days.” This week’s photo is one of those.
Here’s some ideas for your next Family Reunion!
Reunion day:
- Bring your camera and take lots of candid pictures at the event
- Bring Memorabilia, such as scrapbooks, pictures, travel logs and old picture books
- Bring recipes to share
- Have someone take charge of organizing family groups for pictures. Take after everyone has arrived and before someone slips out.
- If held outside or outside activities are planned, have a backup plan in case of bad weather
Other Ideas:
- Consider having a guestbook for people to sign in; share addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses
- Suggest family members use family recipes to make dishes to share; label the dishes so family members know whose recipe was used
- Take a group picture as each family arrives at the reunion.
- Plan activities for small children to entertain them but also think about ways to involve them in the family history
After the event:
- Compile a recipe book of family recipes.
- Become “friends” on Facebook or other social media sites to stay in touch
- Don’t forget to take your pictures off the camera
- Make two backups (one on your computer and one on an external hard drive)
- Remember to include phone pictures
- Consider having on-line storage where pictures can be shared (and backed-up) (read the terms of service for any on-line storage you’re using for these precious pictures. Choose wisely!)
- Sit down and label each picture soon after the event. You will forget who is who if you don’t take time to document each group.
Story: For this year’s reunion, I used my husband’s grandmother’s recipe for deviled eggs. Aunt Janet tasted the eggs and said, “this tastes just like my mother’s deviled eggs.” I said, “good, it is your mother’s recipe.” She was surprised and enjoyed the trip to the past. We never get too old to enjoy our mother’s recipes!
Thankfully, I did think ahead and ask family members for recipes when Jim & I were first married. A few years ago, I created a bound book with some of those recipes for our kids. The book has the recipes along with pictures and short memories. I plan to update the book with new favorites. Perhaps our granddaughter’s graduation or wedding will be a good time to make this happen.
The picture below was not dated. So this is a reminder to date your photos as soon as you print them. Otherwise, you will find years later, that you don’t remember when it was taken, at what event or where.
Questions or comments? Please leave a comment or send an e-mail.
Dedicated to: Our son, James E Watkins, III, 1980 – 2015: Guitarist, Musician, Web and Database Programmer; Intelligent, Creative, Silly, Loving, Strong, a Fighter (battled cancer for 5 years); Not Afraid to Speak His Mind. Known as the Angry Gnome and World’s Greatest Uncle. Never forgotten; forever 34.
