Family Reunion Idea

Looking for a great family reunion idea? Use that shared time with relatives to do some research on your family tree. Gather facts, tell stories, and share your research with your family members. Uncles, aunts, and cousins will all agree that it's a great way to spend time together at a family reunion.

To make the best use of your genealogy research time, share the family reunion idea with your relatives beforehand. Six to eight weeks before the reunion, send them a letter or email outlining your ideas. Here's a sample:

Since we'll all be together, let's work on building our family tree. Please bring all your favorite stories of our family, along with copies of any old pictures or documents you may have. With your help, I can put together one great family history. Next year at the family reunion, I'll share the results of my new research. I hope you like my family reunion idea.

Then list the various specific items you need:

• dates and places for family events such as birth, marriages, divorces, and deaths
• family pictures, letters, and memorabilia
• any remembered details of ancestors' lives
• family Bibles or other treasured records
• family customs, games, recipes, or other things that make your family special

A week or so ahead of time, you may want to send a reminder email. You could even include a form to be photocopied and filled out, or downloaded and printed.

If you're looking for an even broader family reunion, go to OneGreatFamily.com. Home of the original online global family tree, OneGreatFamily.com can help you find your family's place in the world. A single new link can help you discover thousands of ancestors and entire new lines.