Waimea Plantation Cottages hosts dozens of reunions annually.
Special to the Star-Bulletin

Nearly 35 percent of reunions are held outdoors in a park or garden and more than 27 percent are held at a residence, followed by banquet halls, restaurants, country clubs, and hotels, according to Better Homes and Gardens Family Network.

Good planning is essential to a successful family reunion with activities that encourage people to mingle, such as day trips, shopping excursions and even kitchen detail. The key is to arrange activities for all ages and to encourage participation, yet not make anyone feel obligated or neglected.

Here are some more tips for a family reunion:

Ask relatives their preferences for a reunion time, place, and date; a democratic system will encourage attendance.

Keep a master list of family members. A loose leaf notebook offers the flexibility to add or delete names and addresses.

Form committees to handle specific tasks such as food coordination, entertainment and finances.

Select a representative from each branch of the family tree to serve as liaison between reunion organizers and individual relatives.

Keep records of all your arrangements including names, addresses and food quantities so that whoever must plan the next reunion will have a head start.

Always check for group rates for transportation and accommodations.

Create a family log. Make a logo that lends a common theme to everything in the reunion from invitations to party decorations. Draw a few full-page caricatures of some family members that can be used for party decorations later. Include identifying details like hairstyle, glasses, and typical attire. Provide old photos for people your children don't remember. Pets are OK subjects, too. Sketch a well-branched tree for the logo, and then arrange the caricatures around it. Caricatures may also be used for table decorations.

For invitations, use old family photos or the family reunion logo. Include date, place, RSVP, requests of what guests should bring, anecdotes, photos, etc.

Games: Capture the Flag, Blind Man's Bluff, Red Rover, Simon Says, Red Light/Green Light, Mother May I? Kids will love the movement and activity. If you want to add an official look to your games, add big pin-on numbers like the ones that marathoners and bike racers wear.

Create awards such as "Giggliest," "Most Energetic," "Most Relaxed," "Best Sport," "Best Party Spirit," whichever are relevant to family members. Make sure to select some categories that kids or older partygoers are likely to win.

Family Trivia Contest: Prepare questions before the event. Think of some things that would really get the relatives talking to each other and finding out things about each other's lives. This is a great icebreaker if your relatives haven't seen each other in a while.

Reunion project: Create a family cookbook, with photos and family anecdotes. Your family can add to it every year.

Taping oral histories at gatherings is a great way to value both the older people in the family and the history.

Make newsletter: Distance is a problem for many families, but a report is a wonderful tool to keep everyone in touch. It can be handwritten, typed and copied, or computer-generated and should include everything from news of the family to anecdotes from the past. You can also share information about births, graduations and military service in a "General Family News" section. Some families list birthdays and anniversaries for the next few months so family members can send greetings.