Some families even hire genealogists to trace their roots, and take group heritage trips to such exotic locations as Africa and Europe. But for a lot of families it is no longer a reunion necessity or the main attraction of the get-together. For many, it's the family vacation. You can't count on Thanksgiving anymore or Christmas, but for some reason if you call your family holiday a reunion, people will set aside time for that. The summer months are still hot family reunion times because they're popular vacation times, Wagner says.
Families can usually count on good weather for outdoor activities, as well as time off from work.
They're visiting places that are significant to the families and tracing the family history. You also have to devise a way to make the trip home special. More people are attending their family reunions, Wagner notes, with organizers being able to contact prospective participants quickly through cyberspace, without costly phone bills. The Internet has put a different of twist on the whole thing. Families can do chat stuff and they don't have to wait for a newsletter or flier.