10 Creative Ideas to Make Your Family Reunion Unforgettable
Getting together with your extended family is the most heartwarming way to celebrate the holiday season. In this article, you will find the ultimate ideas and activities for a fun family reunion. Make your Christmas party unforgettable!
Family reunion is a popular way to celebrate Christmas, reconnect with your loved ones, and create new lasting memories. To make your celebration more interactive and enjoyable for everyone, we’ve gathered ten ideas to spark up your party. Keep reading for fun family reunion games and activities for all ages plus party planning tips.
1. Choose a festive theme
To encourage everyone in your family to get creative, use a Christmas party theme. Pick a specific era, movie series, or book, and pick the outfits, home décor, dishes, and activities that match the theme. Consider the interests, hobbies, and age range of the attendees to pick the theme that appeals to most guests at the party.
Christmas themes for a family reunion
- 80s theme – dress up in neon colors, get a disco ball and bright lights, and create the 80s songs playlist to travel back in time together.
- Christmas around the world – celebrate Christmas in the Irish, Brazilian, or Greek style, preparing local meals and incorporating traditions.
- White Wonderland – a traditional theme that never gets old. Use white décor and lights, encourage everyone to watch white or blue, and watch classical Christmas movies.
- Family Olympics – if your family loves to stay active, run a series of outdoor contests and games to determine the best athlete.
2. Exchange Christmas gifts
Christmas is the time to exchange gifts. To prepare thoughtful presents for the entire family without going broke, organize the Secret Santa activity. All participants draw names (now you can do it online) and bring a present for one family member trying not to reveal themselves before Christmas.
To organize your Secret Santa seamlessly and ensure that everyone gets a gift, try the MySanta app. In it, you can set exclusions so that couples don’t give to each other and chat with your giftee anonymously. Plus, each player can create a personal wishlist. The game host can track presents to ensure everyone buys them on time.
You can set up separate Secret Santa for little ones, too. Have them draw names and exchange small handmade presents with each other.
3. Plan culinary delights
No family Christmas would be complete without a delicious festive dinner. Incorporate your family recipes, such as Aunt Heather’s turkey or your grandmother’s special gingerbread. Or, each guest can contribute a recipe they love most, turning the dinner into a mouthwatering delight.
4. Set up a competition
Holding a fun family competition can liven up your family reunion. Set up a simple Christmas-themed contest to find out who the main fashionista in your family is or who has the best gingerbread decoration skills. The type of contest depends on the preferences and interests of your family members.
Christmas-themed competition ideas for family
- Cookie decorating contest – bake or purchase Christmas cookies and provide each guest with icing and edible markers, and set a time limit.
- Cocktail-making competition – if your family is mostly adults, watch a mixology class and run a cocktail-making contest.
- Christmas costume contest – whether it’s an ugly sweater party or you are planning on wearing something fancy, award the family member with the most creative outfit.
- Snowball game – if it’s snowy in your state during winter, head outside and play snowballs in teams!
5. Organize a scavenger hunt adventure
If you prefer something more active than the traditional potluck and Christmas movie binge-watching, plan a family reunion scavenger hunt. Create clues and riddles based on your family history or Christmas traditions so that all clues lead to the grand prize. You can organize the game at home, in the backyard, or in the local park if you prefer outdoor activities.
This activity promotes teamwork and helps bonding with your extended family, as you work together to solve puzzles and find hidden items. Plus, you’ll have a lot of fun!
6. Create a time capsule
Making a time capsule is a meaningful way to build connections across generations and leave a message for the future. Ask each family member to contribute one or two items that reflect the lifestyle and experiences they’ve had this year. Put all those items into a box until the next reunion. Next time you get together, you’ll have the chance to reflect on your collective past.
7. Plan Christmas activities for kids
Plan separate activities for your little ones to keep them engaged and entertained. From having their own cookie-decorating and costume contest to exchanging gifts, you’ll keep kids busy and promote interactions with cousins.
Fun Christmas activities for kids
- Write a letter to Santa – if your kids still believe in miracles, encourage them to write a letter to Santa. All you need is paper and crayons plus imagination.
- Spread reindeer food – have kids mix dry oatmeal with colored sugar and spread them to feel the hardworking Santa’s reindeer.
- Build a snowman – if it snows in your town in December, don’t miss an opportunity to build a snowman together and make snow angels.
- Make ornaments – festive ornaments create a sense of anticipation and help your little ones develop creativity while learning simple crafts.
8. Capture the moment with a group photo
To make this gathering one to remember, set up a family photo shoot. Your extended family probably gets together not too often, and Christmas photos will help you capture these beautiful moments. Dress up – evening dresses and suits, ugly sweaters, fun scarves, and Santa Claus hats, or cosplay costumes. Your imagination is the limit! Set up a selfie station, or even have a professional photographer to capture the family portrait for you.
9. Play board games
Pick the board games that your family enjoys, and spend the evening playing them in the festive atmosphere. Board games encourage friendly competition and teamwork, and they are always a lot of fun. Serve mulled wine and green punch as refreshments to keep the party going.
Christmas-themed board games
- Christmas Monopoly – a Christmas version of the popular game
- Merry Grinchmas – you can play with kids and collect presents to win
- The Best of Christmas game – test your Christmas knowledge together
- Christmas Eve board game – choose your elf and start the quest!
10. Acts of kindness
The Christmas season is the best time to share the joy of giving and do something good for your community. Engage the whole family to do something good for others: volunteer at a soup kitchen or animal shelter, sponsor a family, or shop with the Salvation Army. Younger kids can participate by donating their old toys, books, and clothes. If you have too many things planned for the Christmas reunion, donate to a charity organization.
How can you host a memorable family reunion this Christmas?
Organizing a family reunion can feel overwhelming. Follow these tips to make the process easier:
- Plan far ahead. If you want to invite extended family members who live far away, plan the family reunion months in advance. Thus, everyone will have time to make arrangements and join the party.
- Consider everyone’s preferences. When planning the party themes and activities, consider the preferences of your family. Maybe, you envision fun activities and games, and most family members just want to come over and chill together for a few days. Keep in mind their preferences when it comes to food and drinks. You don’t want to buy six bottles of wine only to find out that your parents and sister don’t consume alcohol anymore.
- Get everyone involved! Party planning is hectic, so don’t hesitate to ask for help. Delegate home decoration, catering, cleaning, and taking pictures to different family members, and you’ll take care of everything better together.
Christmas family reunions help celebrate togetherness and strengthen family bonds. With these unforgettable family reunion activities, you’ll plan an exciting and memorable event that will keep everyone waiting for the next family gathering!
FAQs
How can we plan a family reunion with a small budget?
To organize a memorable reunion on a budget, try focusing on simple family bonding activities. Host the event at someone's home or a public park and organize a potluck-style meal to save on catering costs. Make DIY decorations and plan activities like outdoor games, family trivia, or movie night. To save on gifts, organize a Secret Santa and exchange good personalized presents without breaking the bank.
How to engage teenagers during family reunions?
Plan activities that match interests of your teenagers and give them a sense of autonomy. Set up a dedicated space for video games or board games to keep them entertain. Incorporate some social media-friendly activities, such as a photo booth or a virtual scavenger hunt. Moreover, giving them simple tasks to help organize the reunion (such as decorating the room) will help them feel engaged.
What’s the best way to schedule activities for a full-day reunion?
For a full-day reunion, balance active games with downtime so you don't overwhelm everyone. Include outdoor games and activities like scavenger hunt or playing snowballs and sit-down board games or movie watching. Plan breaks for meals and also allocate free time to allow your guests to connect at their own pace.
How do you make a family reunion special for multiple generations?
For older generations, be sure to include a family history slideshow and time for storytelling so they can share old family stories. For kids and teenagers, organize games, group activities, and crafts. Creating a time capsule or organizing a family trivia can be meaningful for all ages and help cross-generational bonding.
