Personalized Items for
the Family Reunion

            When planning a family reunion, consider purchasing personalized items for family members. These might be family reunion T-Shirts for the entire family, or individual items used as game prizes or awards. As the reunion organizer, you may choose to purchase some of these items or pay for them from a reunion kitty. 

Family Reunion T-Shirt

            During each of our family reunions the organizer designs (or has another family member do the actual designing) a logo for the reunion T-Shirt. They then find a local company to print the shirts. Another option is to use an online printer.
            The organizer creates an order form, contacts family members with the price of the shirt, and takes orders. At this point we don’t normally collect money (although you might decide to get the money upfront), just the desired shirt size. At the reunion, we distribute the shirts and collect the money.
            Our logos normally include the name of the family, and the year and location of the reunion. While many of our logos typically depict the reunion site, another option is to create a family crest.

offee Mugs

            Since our family usually gathers for morning coffee for our family reunion vacations, we decided to print coffee mugs one year. To keep the per-price piece down, we used a single color on the logo, and had about 100 mugs printed. Each mug sold for under $5. We didn’t sell all the mugs, and we may have broken even, although I’m not sure.
            I rather liked the mugs, yet would have preferred a multi-colored logo. Instead of mugs for the entire group, another option is to use a site like Zazzle, to print up several custom reunion coffee mugs and use as game prizes or awards. The per-piece will be considerably more for single mugs, as opposed to a case or bulk rate.

Award and Certificates

            Sometimes it’s fun to hand out awards at the reunion, perhaps a certificate to the family member traveling the farthest distance, or the eldest family member. Create the certificates using desktop printing or scrapbooking software, and print off using your computer’s printer.
            If you are planning to have games at the family reunion, such as relay games, order prize ribbons, personalized with the family name. Select ribbons that will easily fit into a scrapbook or photo album, and try to arrange it so that most individual families are able to take home at least one ribbon as a keepsake.

Zazzle or Café Press
for Family Reunions

            Visit print-on-demand websites like Zazzle or Café Press and check out the different items you can personalize. Consider creating an online store for family members, where they can order personalized items for the upcoming reunion, and use the proceeds toward reunion expenses. Order individual personalized items to use as an award or game prize.