A family reunion could be a perfect opportunity to celebrate your heritage and visit with second cousins you haven’t seen in years. It has the potential to be an incredibly rewarding time.
The key word here is “potential.” As numerous comedy films have proven over the years, a family reunion can quickly become a family disaster.
With a bit of planning (and a little luck), it doesn’t have to head south. If you’re thinking of Cape Cod for your next family reunion, you’re in for a treat. Here are a few tips to help you have a stress-free family reunion.
Keep it Simple
A place to relax and a meal to eat. You don’t need to make it any more complicated than that.
While Cape Cod is filled with fantastic attractions, top fishing locales, and so much more, you don’t have to jampack an adventure through Harwich, Brewster, and Orleans to have a rewarding family reunion. Don’t plan too much – your guests will find fun things to do on their Cape Cod beach vacations without your help.
That said, you might need a few back-up activities. Request a list of different family-friendly activities on Cape Cod so you have an idea of the available options.
Avoid Obvious Social Faux Pas’
You may be a little stressed and slip into some well-known and bad social habits.
One unfavorable habit is to spend too much time on the phone. Whether you’re Instagramming the week’s events or taking a break from another one of Aunt Carol’s childhood stories, you’re bound to want some connection to the outside world. But be sure to limit your screen time during the family events and activities.
Don’t be openly cheap when it comes to ordering food (McDonald’s take-out is a no-no), and consider drinking only if others are drinking, as well.
Enlist Help
This should not be a solo project. Utilize the family members you trust to help ease the burden of entertaining. Offer to prepare the main dish, but expect visitors to bring desserts, drinks, sides, and more. Consider setting up a social page to help with some of the planning. If someone forgets the date, they can follow the page instead of sending you a text or calling.
Set a Date and Stick to It
With busy schedules, heavy workloads, and family living across the country, finding a date that works for everyone can be tough. Pick the date that seems to work best, and stick to it. Just because Bill and Susan can’t make it – it just wouldn’t be the same, right? – doesn’t mean you should rearrange the whole thing.
By changing the date, you open up lots of problems. You end up pushing it up and losing much-needed prep time or pushing it back and inconveniencing someone else. Rescheduling is one of the most frustrating and common mistakes when it comes to planning a reunion.
Finding a date is usually a lot easier if you make a list of who will be invited first. This way you can request their general availability. Having a guest list is convenient for many reasons. It helps you plan ahead, determine responsibilities, book the location, and plan activities.
Think Long Term
If the planning is going extremely well, you can begin to think in the long-term. A family reunion could turn into a long-standing plan. We have seen many new Cape Cod locals leverage their rental with friends and family. The idea of a family reunion could even lead to a joint purchase of one of the vacation rentals near Cape Cod – anything is possible!
