Choosing a Date
Ideally, you should plan way ahead, 12-18 months, when deciding on the date for your reunion. The date should
be finalized 1 year or as far as possible in advance. This enables you to reserve the ideal location and
activities and allows your relatives enough notice to take time off from work or school. Even if you do not start
planning that far in advance, you can still have a successful reunion, but you do need to make sure you provide
yourself with enough planning time so that everything is booked and well organized.
You want to select a date that works for the most people. Reaching a consensus on a date and place doesn't have
to be difficult. Unfortunately it's almost impossible to satisfy everyone. By creating a poll or survey on your
website, you'll be able to tell who is available and when. Your poll or survey can offer 3-4 options. There are always
certain members of the family that must be there, such as grandparents and great grandparents, so you should
ideally check with them first to see what works best for them.
If your family reunion is planned over a holiday such as Thanksgiving or Memorial day your relatives will probably
want to make a mini vacation out of the long weekend so the activities and duration should be planned accordingly.
The length of a reunion can vary greatly. It can take place over one afternoon or throughout several days.
The rule of thumb is the further people have to travel to attend the family reunion, the longer it should last.
If everyone lives close to one another, then one day should be enough time to reconnect. However, if many
relatives are travelling far to attend, the reunion should be longer to justify the travelling and lodging
expenses. You will also probably want to spend more time together if you don’t see each other very often.
The time that has elapsed since everyone has seen each other can also help determine the length of the reunion.
If your family holds an annual reunion, then one day or one weekend is sufficient, however if it has been more
than 10 years, then a longer reunion is warranted.
Here are a few date suggestions that may work for your family:
- Family milestone or special day
Golden anniversary, grandparents birthday, or when there is a wedding, graduation, birth, or religious holiday. - Time of year
Between June and September are the most popular time of year to hold family reunions primarily due to good weather, easier travelling, children are not in school and people tend to take vacation at this time. However, flights and accommodations tend to be more expensive. Some families may prefer to take advantage of cheaper airfare and hotels during off peak times, but harsh weather may affect your plans. - Holidays
Holiday weekends, such as Memorial Day and Fourth of July, are common for reunions as many have time off which is good for out of town guests. TIP: Do not give short notice if you decide to have your reunion on a holiday because a lot of people make plans for the long weekends. - Specific date
You can set a predetermined date when your family reunion will always be held, for example the second weekend of August. Regardless if it is held every year or every 5 years, everyone knows when it will be.
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