Family Reunions: Make It an Unlimited Party – Mitchells Take Pot Luck Annually in Illinois

Good morning, Live Better than a Billionaire-a-Holics!

After church on the third Sunday in August every summer, a magical event happens in a small park in central Illinois. Dozens of families begin arriving and putting out some of the most delicious food you have ever seen, smelled or eaten. Pretty soon youngsters of all ages have organized themselves into teams and are busy playing. On the gym equipment, young parents cooperatively take turns looking out for the youngest ones. Oldsters lounge comfortably in the shade and swap tall tales while a large audience gathers and listens. Everyone has a big smile and a comfortable feeling. They are having a wonderful time.

These people are the descendants and spouses of four Mitchell brothers who included my deceased grandfather. They’ve been gathering for this event for more decades than anyone can remember. And the event just keeps getting larger. I can see why. My Dad was one of eight brothers and sisters and they all had children. The number of grandchildren from that generation is vast and the ranks of great grandchildren are rapidly multiplying as well.

In just one day, you can come and be welcomed and appreciated by dozens of people who know and care about you. It’s a wonderful affirmation for everyone. Every family needs an annual reunion like this!

Preparations are pretty simple. The descendents of the four brothers each take turns organizing each year's event. That includes reserving the park space, recruiting one's own part of the family for a specially high turnout and being sure that there is a good balance of food choices (although all desserts would be great . . . the youngsters might not thrive on that). A large pick-up softball game is always a key event . . . so someone needs to bring some balls and bats.

For people like us who fly in for the event, we find Kentucky Fried Chicken can save us from sponging on our relatives while providing some hearty, if commercial, entree choices.

Be sure to bring lots of photographs from now and way back when. It's great to see them! My favorites are photographs from earlier reunions.

I did some research on the subject. I was pleasantly surprised to realize that you don't have to be a billionaire to run such an event. In fact, many billionaires would probably avoid an event like this lest everyone hit them up for money all day. The park we use doesn't charge any rental fee. If the food assignments are fairly laid out, the cost of the meal is about what it would be to have a picnic for just your own family. But the fun is every so much greater!

Family reunion experts suggest this type of reunion only for "low-key" families where everyone gets along pretty well. I'm not so sure that advice is right. Many family squabbles among the Mitchells had their healing begun at such reunions when disputing siblings hugged and kissed for the first time in years with the encouragement of all present. With plenty of space, those who don't want to be with someone else can just wander off in a different direction.

If you hold such an event in the summer, I suggest a place where the food can be kept in the shade and picnic tables are also shaded. You don't want anyone to suffer from food poisoning or heat prostration!

If your family has found a unique way to enjoy such reunions, feel free to comment and add photographs so we can see your experiences!

Donald W. Mitchell, Your Dream Concierge

Copyright 2005 Donald W. Mitchell

Be sure to check out my blog dated May 16, 2005 on how to plan Your Dad's Best Father's Day! and May 30, 2005 on Plan Your Best Fourth of July!

Birthdays: Go Where You’ve Never Gone Before and Do What You’ve Never Done Before – A 49-Year-Old Tours Gold Rush Country

Good morning, Live Better than a Billionaire-a-Holics!

Having been to dozens of boring 50^th birthday parties, I found myself a little depressed by the thought that something similar would be foisted on me by well-meaning family and friends. While I was still 48, such inquiries began. I resolved to avoid the boring 50^th by having a fabulous 49^th through becoming a true 49er!

My father and I had attended to many Super Bowl games together. We agreed that many of our favorite moments had come when Joe Montana and Jerry Rice had provided excitement for the San Francisco 49er’s offense. Yet neither of us had ever seen a 49er game in San Francisco. With that as a core idea, I also realized that my Dad and I had never been to the old gold mining towns in northern California, although he had promised to take me from the age of six. Dad had recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s and found it hard to get around. I knew that his days of carefree travel would soon be at an end. This seemed like a perfect opportunity for us to have one last trip alone together.

At the 49er game, Jerry Rice set a career receiving record that day; and although the 49ers lost, we had a great time. While in Gold Rush country, we stayed at beautifully restored bed and breakfast inns, toured old mining camps and even went down into the most successful mine in that area’s history. It’s a memory that I will always cherish. And it cost a lot less than a typical 50^th birthday celebration.

If you have a "major" birthday coming up, don't let nature take its course . . . take over planning your own event. By personalizing it to a theme that you care about, you can have a much better time, spend less money and thrill some of your family and friends with your inventiveness.

Here are a few theme suggestions to get you started:

17th birthday -- Still Just a Kid!

19th birthday -- Teenager's Last Hurrah!

22nd birthday -- Lethal Weapon

29th birthday -- Still Trustworthy . . . after All These Years

34th birthday -- Mid-Life Crisis!

39th birthday -- Jack Benny Look-Alike Costume Party

42nd birthday -- 21 Again!

49th birthday -- Not Yet a Senior

55th birthday -- Cruising Speed

59th birthday -- 40th Anniversary of Being an Experienced Teenager

63rd birthday -- 21 Again!

65th birthday -- Full Speed Ahead

Obviously, some of these years may have special meanings in your lives, as 49 was for me. So feel free to improvise based on those special meanings!

Donald W. Mitchell, Your Dream Concierge

Copyright 2005 Donald W. Mitchell

Be sure to check out my blog dated May 16, 2005 on how to plan Your Dad's Best Father's Day! and May 30, 2005 on Plan Your Best Fourth of July!