No one can love us more or drive us crazier than family, and therefore, a family reunion can be a celebration that connection and love. Such group travel can offer everyone a good chance for having a break from school and work, spending quality time together, and remembering what is so great about being part of the same family.
If family reunion planning fills you with dread, then you are not alone. It sure isn’t a minor task, especially when you have to wrangle dozens of different budgets and schedules. Therefore, to make a family reunion a bit smoother, you need to plan ahead of the reunion activities not to face any difficulties when the time comes.
The purpose of family union
Every family has its reasons to plan a reunion, as it may be a just-because type of thing, or it might be planned with a major family milestone, like a wedding ceremony. For some families, there is a routine of having a family reunion each year or after a few years to make sure that those far-flung relatives don’t drift apart from each other.
For those families that see each other quite often, having a dedicated weekend or a day can be very useful to help the relatives connect, as the focus is all about togetherness. Another reason for a family reunion is to offer the young kids a chance to meet and know their uncles, aunts, cousins, and other relatives, or anybody else who is new to the family, to meet with the extended group.
A family gathering can be a good chance for the old relatives or poor health to see everyone. These reunions can also be a great way for the families to celebrate the shared culture and heritage and exchange the family stories for honoring the memories of those relatives who have passed away.
How to plan a memorable family union?
Although family travel helps people to see their loved ones from all over the world, it can surely be chaotic to organize group travel if it is not planned out correctly. With several different aspects of the planning process, it is important not to get overwhelmed.
- Carefully consider the possible destinations
You might have always wanted to have a week-long trip to your favorite destination at a resort where you could soak in the sun and layout on the beach. However, in group travel, you would likely have to compromise, as all of your family members may not be sun worshippers. Aside from a variety of destinations, there could be other activities, foods, and games to suit everyone’s interest.
- Try not to leave any responsibility unattended
Everything from organizing transportation to booking a resort and the itinerary is considered the essential factor in planning your family travel. To make sure that all the aspects of a trip are taken care of, you need to assign a group leader and divide all the responsibilities among the rest of the group members. A group leader needs to be in charge of all the basics to set the group up for a smooth experience.
- Choose an arrangement that is friendly to the family
Many resorts offer different accommodation options to cater to family reunions. Doing a little research & discovering which hotels in your area of destination offer the sleeping quarters can be a smart idea. When you stay together, it can greatly enhance your trip’s overall experience.
- Go for an online planner
There is one thing that people of nearly all age groups have common: the smartphone. Online travel planners and applications like Grouppii can help everyone view the itinerary and even collect the money so that one person doesn’t happen to get stuck with the bill when there are family dinners.
Family reunion benefits
Planning a family reunion can sometimes give you a headache because trying to get the group of family members to decide on a date and time to get together can be difficult. Still, it surely doesn’t mean that it isn’t important. Whether your family is big or small, getting all the members together for a family reunion is important to stay connected. The following are the family reunion benefits that you should consider.
- You spend a scheduled time together
A family reunion’s main idea is to gather and see all of your family members because often we don’t see our family for many years as we are just too busy with our lives. Scheduling a specific day, time, and a trip to see each other is normally the only way to have quality time together.
- Personal history
At a family reunion, you always tend to learn something new, and it doesn’t matter how old you are. Having time to be with your family means that you may wind up telling and hearing each other stories, ones that may go unsaid. Letting the kids hear stories from their grandparents, uncles, aunts, and relatives is important, as they happen to learn things they wouldn’t otherwise.
- You get some quality time
The real meaning of a family reunion is that everyone has dedicated a certain amount of time to the family. You can read a chapter book to your niece or have a long walk with your aunt. Relish in this un-rushed and uninterrupted time that you have to see each other.
- You have a vacation excuse
A family reunion as a vacation can be the perfect excuse for the members to get away from their everyday lives & enjoy another part of the country or the world in a group trip. You can also get a chance to try something new, as nothing can build bonds like sharing new experiences with family members.
Conclusion
A family reunion is all about spending quality time with the people you love. When you have all the essential details and the trip’s information in the palm of your hand, it will ensure that everyone is in the loop and reduce the risk of something that may go awry. If everyone in the family returns home with a feeling that they are a bit closer to their family members, even if they had limited options or a missed flight, the trip must be considered a success.