Having a unique theme at your next family reunion is a great way to get people interested in attending.
Done properly, a family reunion theme will attract many more family members due to related activities, events, and location.
A different theme at every family reunion also keeps things interesting for folks who may get bored with doing or seeing the same thing year after year.
Keep Two Things In Mind Though….
There are two things to keep in mind when selecting a family reunion theme.
The first thing is that the theme has to be intriguing and relevant to your family. For example, if your family has a common heritage, then selecting a theme based on an ancestor or even your cultural roots would seem appropriate.
The second thing to keep in mind is that a family reunion theme cannot be restricted to certain portions of the event. A theme should encompass the entire event from the beginning to the end.
For example, let’s imagine that we are having a family reunion that’s celebrating our Italian roots. A good idea would be to have invitation envelopes that look like the Italian flag, Banquets with food cooked in extra-virgin olive oil and Italian folk songs being played in the hospitality suite. Every event, activity, and game should have at least one thing associated with the theme chosen.
So how do you go about selecting a family reunion theme?
Jim Morahan, a family reunion planner, suggests “when planning a family reunion theme, our committee will hold a dedicated session where we brainstorm ideas as a group. We are all required to come up with at least one idea before the teleconference and we defend that idea during the meeting. Once all the suggestions are presented, we then have a vote on which one we think is the best and go with that one”.
Jim continued, “In a subsequent meeting, everyone on the committee comes up with a way to incorporate the theme into their respective responsibilities. Without a theme underpinning the family reunion, things would get very boring as you would be doing the same thing year after year”.
What are some common types of family reunion themes?
The family reunion theme can be based on many factors with the most popular ones listed below:
1. Heritage/culture– many families will come together to celebrate their past by honoring ancestors and discussing family history. These kinds of family reunions are meant to transfer knowledge of the family’s history to the younger generation. A sample name would be “Looking into the Past to Enrich Our Future”
2. Special event like birthday or anniversary– celebrating a special event for an elderly family member or couple is a great way to honor their contributions and to show respect for what they have accomplished.
3. Location– examples of family reunions of this type are the Hawaiian luau or a Malibu beach party. In these cases, decorations and food play a big part as they are both a big part of the theme.
4. Religion– family reunion themes about religion serve as a great backdrop and a guiding light for an event that provides spirituality and peace to its attendees. Themes that sounded particularly interesting are “Joining Hands in Love, Praise and Service” or “Love Endureth Through All Generations” Psalms 102:12
Selecting a theme for your family reunion is extremely crucial step and should not be taken lightly. Every aspect of your planning (food, events, entertainment and decorations) should incorporate the theme. The ideas above will get you started on selecting what kind of theme is right for your family reunion.
Want to see read more about family reunion themes?
Check out our article on creating a unique family reunion theme and you’ll have a half dozen more ideas on planning a memorable event.