Reunion Resources
Reunion Planner
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 Location – n. A site, with respect to its environment.
Mister
Spiffy Says: "Location, location, location. Location is
everything. Just look at the Titanic…well, actually, let’s not look at the
Titanic. Just look at…ancient Rome. They rose and rose and rose…and…fell.
Well, location is important anyway."
Choosing the right location could be rated up there
as one of the most important decisions you’ll make in the planning of this family
reunion. You can choose a location, if you wish, once you know what type of reunion you
want, the desired dates, and have a fundamental idea how many people will be attending. Of
course, you can choose the location before that – but Mister Spiffy knows by
experience that everything is just so much harder that way.
For small reunions, this ‘location’ can be at someone’s home in the
backyard (having grass would be nice). But for larger reunions, you may want to
consider a park, campground, a nice resort, or maybe even a theme park. Mister
Spiffy votes for a theme park. But, I digress. Wherever you choose, make sure there
is adequate lodging so that guests don’t end up sleeping in the streets. That’s
frowned upon, especially on a road that is used frequently at night. Mister Spiffy
has never called a reunion ‘successful’ if the guests left with tire tracks
across their foreheads.
If you are looking for a nice place to hold a
reunion, or know of a nice reunion site, click here to check out our
list of reunion sites submitted by visitors like you.
Home Sweet Home
Your own yard is a great spot for a small reunion
– seeing as you don’t have to make a reservation for your backyard, at least, I
don’t think so – and you can set up well in advance. Most have built-in kitchen
and bathroom facilities (or at least an outhouse), and if you forget something, you can
just walk into your house and get it. Excellent. Especially for the forgetful
person. Like Mister Spiffy.
Picnic in the Park
City and state parks are the most popular locations
for most family reunions. Parks, most of the time being outdoors, have the capabilities to
accommodate quite a large crowd. They offer those splintering, paint-chipped-off picnic
tables, barbecue grills filled with black dust, playground equipment, wide, vast green
spaces for games, and easy access to water and restroom facilities. So it may be dirty,
but hey – it works, doesn’t it? Many local parks also have beautiful
flowers (fully equipped with bees), monuments to stand rapt in awe in front of, petting
zoos, and other various amenities (or features – Mister Spiffy likes using big words,
it makes him feel smart) your family can enjoy and admire.
Camping Out
One of the easiest and most enjoyable locations for a
family reunion is at a campground, or somewhere near a national park. Families can bring
their own RV, trailer, or tent (Mister Spiffy wouldn’t really recommend a tent, but
then, that’s him – he doesn’t like getting damp and cold). You can also
make them responsible for their own cooking, telling them to cook their own food but over
a common campfire. It’s a subtle way to keep from supplying everything for them while
teaching your clan to become independent like our caveman ancestors. You can sing around a campfire
(even though the teenagers will roll their eyes and proclaim that it’s "totally
dorky") or roast marshmallows. Many campgrounds also offer activities like
swimming and miniature golf if you happen to be at a trailer park. National parks offer
hiking, those exciting visitors’ centers (with gift shops!!), and other activities.
Weekend at a Hotel
A weekend reunion at a luxurious hotel can be a
wonderful way to relax from the stress and strain of daily life and visit with your
marvelous family. Hotels normally offer pools, spas, fitness rooms, game rooms,
restaurants, and banquet facilities. Many hotels offer weekend, off-season, and group
discounts that make this an especially attractive possibility, although Mister Spiffy
wants you to keep in mind that it may be hard to keep large herds of rampaging children
under control.
Bed and Breakfasts
For very small, adult-only family reunions, a bed and
breakfast can be a tempting choice. These quaint romantic homes offer you a chance to
relax and visit, without a care in the world. Quite reminds Mister Spiffy
of…what do they call it? A second honeymoon, yes.
The Old Homestead
If your group has a massive interest in family history
and your ancestors and genealogy, you could explore your roots. You could visit the farm
where your great-great grandparents homesteaded, see the old cemetery where they were
buried when they died (when else would they be buried?), and extend your genealogical
research by visiting the county courthouse or local library and rooting up some
information. Yet another Mister-Spiffy-perfect example of that thought-to-be-impossible
factor of learning and having fun at the same time.
Theme Parks
If you have a lot of kids and teenagers in your entire
family, perhaps a reunion located near an amusement or water park
would be a good choice. I’m sure no one would protest going somewhere fun to
spend time together. Mister Spiffy has never heard that complaint before.
Specialty Reunions
Why not hold your family reunion at a dude ranch, take a cruise, or spend a week
golfing or fishing at a resort? No need to be restricted by any sort of
"reunion guidelines." There really aren’t any of those – just
the idea of having fun. The possibilities for a special kind of original family
reunion are limited only by your imagination (or perhaps your penny-pinching relatives).
Mister Spiffy’s
Helpful Hints – Count the small
children (under age 12) before you make any plans. If there’s a lot, kids
always like a swimming pool. If there’s not very many, you could probably pull off a
reunion somewhere that is displaying breakables. |
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