Plan family reunions, group games and celebrations of life. Find activities, practical preparations and ways to include people who want to share a story.
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Family reunion storytelling checklist
Checklist · A printable plan for collecting stories at a family gathering
Family reunion storytelling activities everyone can choose from
Six family reunion storytelling activities, from a photo table and paired conversations to a recipe table and a map of family places, with participation kept optional.
Celebration of life ideas, with ways for everyone to share a story
Celebration of life ideas for the venue, music, slideshow, readings, food, children and a memory table, plus quiet ways guests can share a story without speaking.
Printables
Guides
Eulogy examples and how to write a personal tribute
Two complete fictional eulogies for a parent and a grandparent, opening lines by relationship, a step-by-step writing process and a guide to how many words fit your speaking time.
Anniversary reflection questions for a one-page yearly record
A one-page anniversary record to fill in together each year: six reflection prompts, a fictional example and how to keep the pages over the years.
Celebration of life ideas, with ways for everyone to share a story
Celebration of life ideas for the venue, music, slideshow, readings, food, children and a memory table, plus quiet ways guests can share a story without speaking.
Family reunion storytelling activities everyone can choose from
Six family reunion storytelling activities, from a photo table and paired conversations to a recipe table and a map of family places, with participation kept optional.
Questions
20 questions game: rules and 50 yes-or-no questions
How to play 20 questions, how to keep count, and 50 yes-or-no questions that narrow down a person, place or thing, starting with the openers.
- Is it alive, or was it ever alive?
- Is it a person?
- Is it a place?
21 questions game: rules, rounds and 50 questions to ask
How to play 21 questions with a friend, a date or a group: the rules, a light round and a deeper round, and 50 questions from silly to personal.
- What's the last thing that made you laugh out loud?
- What did you want to be when you were seven?
- If you could live anywhere for a year, where would it be?
Drinking game questions: 49 rounds where passing is always free
49 drinking game questions for adults: sip-if statements, answer-or-pass questions and table rounds, with rules where passing is free and water counts.
- Sip if you have ever clapped when a plane landed.
- Sip if you still know every word of a song you claim to hate.
- Sip if you have ever replied "haha" to a message you did not read.
Hot seat questions: 50 for kids, friends and adults
How to run the hot seat game, plus 50 questions sorted into rounds for any age, for friends and for adults, with a free pass on every question.
- What's the last thing that made you laugh out loud?
- What's your most useless talent?
- If you could swap lives with someone here for a day, who would it be?
Most likely to questions: 100 for friends, family and parties
100 most likely to questions in seven groups, from funny to kind, with simple rules, an optional scoring version and the one group to skip with kids.
- Who is most likely to forget their own birthday?
- Who is most likely to fall asleep anywhere?
- Who is most likely to survive a zombie apocalypse?
Never have I ever questions: 50 lines from clean to grown-up
50 never have I ever lines in three groups: clean for any age, for friends, and for adults. Play with fingers or points, and anyone can pass.
- Never have I ever ruined a surprise by accident.
- Never have I ever mistaken salt for sugar in a recipe.
- Never have I ever sent a message to the wrong person.
Paranoia questions: 80 to whisper, plus how to play
80 paranoia questions for the whisper game, grouped from flattering to a little revealing, with the coin-flip rules and how to keep every name a compliment.
- Who in this room would survive longest on a deserted island?
- Who here gives the best advice?
- Who tells the best stories?
Party games for adults: 11 games with simple rules
Eleven party games for adults that need little more than paper and pens, with player counts and rules for each, plus 40 questions grouped by game.
- Who here is most likely to become famous?
- What is a secret talent nobody here knows about?
- Would you rather travel to the past or the future?
From the blog
Funeral readings: 25 poems and passages, with reading times
25 funeral readings grouped into religious, secular and very short, with scripture references, rough read-aloud times and what to check before printing.
Retirement party ideas with stories, activities and a sample program
Plan a retirement send-off around the person’s preferences: photo displays, short toasts, an optional audio guestbook and a sample 60-minute program.
Anniversary ideas at home, out and on a budget
Anniversary ideas for staying in, going out or spending little, plus ideas for milestone years and a few ways to look back on your story together.
Father's Day keepsake gifts to make or buy
Father's Day keepsake ideas: engraved pieces with a real date or message, framed handwriting, a shadow box, photo books, letters and gifts kids can make.
Mother's Day storytelling: a two-hour plan and an optional weekend
A two-hour Mother's Day plan built around a few of her stories: a meal, three questions, a walk and a letter. Plus a longer weekend version for families who want one.
Family reunion story games that spark real conversations
Seven family reunion games built on true family stories, each with the number of players, time, what you need and the rules. Most need only paper and pens.
Frequently asked questions
Invite an optional conversation, prepare a few topics and leave room for breaks. Ask separately before recording and before sharing; a guest can take part without being recorded.
Choose for the actual guests, including access needs and whether people know each other. Offer ways to listen, contribute in writing or sit out instead of requiring a personal story.
Ask the people arranging the event what kind of tribute is welcome. Offer optional stories or approved photographs without requiring a positive account or a particular response to grief. Agree on permission before recording tributes.