Enjoying a Family Reunion Without the Beer

With summer nearly upon us it’s also the season for family reunions. I’ve never been much for these gatherings, nor for their distant cousins, the class reunions. It’s not that I’m anti-social, it’s just that these events always seem to go the same way. People begin arriving a few at a time accompanied by the usual pleasantries. The men get the grill fired up and do their catching-up around the charcoal, while the woman talk summer recipes under the pavilion. It only takes twenty minutes or so before the suds start flowing and that’s when I begin to lose interest.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not fundamentally opposed to drinking. But in a family atmosphere it’s better to leave the booze at home. There are plenty of entertaining and downright fun things to do that don’t require alcohol. There’s the standard family softball game or volleyball tournament. Many larger public parks have horseshoe pits, skateboard parks, and bocce fields. There’s plenty of open sky to fly a kite, green grass to toss a football, and trees and rocks to climb.

For the older folks who cringe at physical exercise, a good activity to keep occupied while catching up is playing cards. There’s Euchre, Pinochle, Bridge, and even Texas Hold ‘Em for those inclined to participate in one of the nation’s hottest crazes. I remember at one reunion my mother teaching us a card game called “spoons”. She used to play it with her sisters when they were kids. We ended up playing and laughing late into the night without a drop of beer.

Photos can be a good source of both entertainment and “getting to know you”. If your family is large, scattered, and unfamiliar with one another’s children, you can play a game involving photos of the kids. Families provides one photo of each of their children and the photos are laid out randomly on a table. Everyone then gets the chance to match kids with parents. If your family is familiar with one another’s children, you can do the same thing with the wedding ring pictures of all the family weddings.

The point is that family reunions are meant for us to reconnect, catch up, and be brought closer together. It’s a time for clear heads, happy hearts, and a genuine appreciation for family. As an added bonus, you’re more likely to arrive home safely at the end of the night and still be around for next year.