Family Reunions

Life gets busy but it’s important to make room for FAMILY REUNIONS.  It goes without saying, your elders won’t be around forever and when they go, they’ll take your family history with them. Sure you might have to deal with those annoying relatives — we all have them — but your kids will benefit from seeing where they fit into your family tree.

My family didn’t have family reunions on either my mom’s or dad’s sides — odd, huh? So 6 years ago I hosted the first family reunion for my mother’s side. We videotaped everyone’s oral histories to capture their stories, and we even taped group discussions about our ancestors that went back several generations. 

I loved hearing 3 versions of how my grandfather came over from Japan, and how the anti-immigration laws kept my grandmother waiting for 7 years to join him. Hearing how they lived before WWII, and then how the family lost their business and all possessions while incarcerated in an internment camp was fascinating. 

My girls appreciated hearing first hand the hardships that their family endured, and how the family prospered again through hard work and determination. I co-hosted the 2nd reunion in 2013 in Pasadena at my uncle and aunt’s house, and we’re hosting the 3rd reunion this August.

This summer I’m also hosting the first family reunion for my father’s side right here in Santa Cruz. We’ll be capturing these family stories, building a family tree, entering data in Family Tree Maker, and playing lots of games to teach us about our ancestors.  I’m looking forward to bonding with cousins that I rarely see and most importantly, I want my girls to really know their relatives and be proud of their ancestors.

So if you have the opportunity to attend a reunion this summer, carve some time out of your busy schedules to check it out.  Your kids will thank you some day.