Rejoice and Celebrate With These High School Reunion Ideas

High school was when we enjoyed life to the fullest, oblivious to responsibilities, worries, or what the future would hold. Despite how hard we tried and the incessant heartbreaks we went through, they were some of the best years! As friends drifted away with their lives and duties, promises to stay in touch were lost somewhere along the way.

However, there are times when glimpses of years pass through our minds, and we yearn to go back to that life of fun and joy, even just for a day. Hence, arranging a reunion party is a great way of meeting our old friends, thus refreshing the old memories. However, organizing a reunion is not an easy task, rather it requires lot of planning and efforts to put together a great reunion. So, if you and your classmates are thinking of having a reunion, here are some reunion ideas that you may find useful.

Finalizing a Venue

Weekend Getaway

Decide on any holiday spot close to your location, and get away for the weekend! If your best buds haven't stayed in touch over the years, this idea is the best for you. In a plan like this, everyone will obviously be expected to pay their share. You will simply need to contact everyone, and fix a date when everyone's free to have a blast!

Favorite Hangout Back Then!

High school days are one of the best ones (for most of us at least). What better way to revive them than going to your favorite pub, or hangout during those days! You wouldn't require any decor, or preparation, as most of you will anyway relate the venue with those years. Note that this will work best with groups of friends, and not the whole batch as such.

Book a Resort

The third option is a classic that always works! Book a section of a restaurant or a resort for the reunion. It's a new place for everyone, and it would be like a fresh start all over. After all, not everyone has the fondest memories of high school! A new turf is bound to make everyone comfortable.

Here you can work around a fixed budget as well. One can hire the venue as per available finances, ranging between a star property to a local shack.

Invites

The first thing you need to know while planning a high school reunion is that most people will be hesitant to turn up. I mean, the people who were hot property back then may be keen; but only if they're doing well today. The "nobodys" who are now stinking rich will definitely come. But by and large, you will have to convince people with your invites. Else, it's going to end up as just you and your group.

Arty Invites

You can go for a normal invite with something catchy that relates to your school. The invite could be colored as per your school flag, or uniform along with a catchy joke, or some lines about an incident that took place back then. Be innovative, and make it as personalized as possible.

Ensure that you make your potential guests feel special -- like their presence matters (even if you didn't really know who that guy was back then!).

Photo Invites

A photo invitation is sure to work like a charm! You can take one, or two snaps from your yearbook, and use them for the invite. If you're invited to a reunion, you look forward to it, provided your schedule permits it. On the other hand, if you see pictures that remind you of those years and make you realize what you'll be missing, you're sucked into the plan instantly. If your budget is lavish, you can personalize every invite by including the guest's picture from the yearbook.

Themes

When people show up, it's not going to become a 'happening' party right away. After all, it wouldn't be a reunion if everyone knew each other and got along like a house on fire! Break the ice with a whacked-out theme.

Bunny ears and devil's horns are timeless classics. Some may jump at them, others may call it silly, but eventually everyone's gonna be in on it.

Alternatively, you can go for a simple kiddish theme, with party hats and blow-out noise makers.

Rock and roll and larger-than-life shades are also "in" these days, as a rocking theme.

Decor

Good decorations are a must at any get-together. Here's what you can gather as quickly as possible.

Flowers

They are always a hit for any party, and a reunion is no exception to this! Choose a particular flower; lilies, roses, or whatever fancies you the most, and cover the place with it. If budget is an issue, a few flowers at every table will also suffice.

Balloons

There's something about these inflated rubber bags that I just don't get, and probably never will. They are great at any event and work like a charm with all age groups!

Candles

Candles are my personal favorite while decorating anything. What's not to like? They're beautiful, peaceful, and even, smell-ful (if that's even a word!). Grab a few scented candles, and let the aroma spread!

Pompoms

Pompoms also make for great reunion decor items. Your high school jersey can be also kept out for the same. The latter isn't much of a 'decor' item; so make sure the pompoms are abundant, while the jerseys -- eh! Not so much!

Photographs and Name Tags

Make New Memories

Memories are priceless! Make new memories this reunion by taking a truck load of snaps. There are three alternatives:
(i) you can either hire a photographer,
(ii) ask one of your batchmates to volunteer; or
(iii) provide disposable cameras at every table.
With a lot of cameras doing the rounds, you can be sure that someone or the other will capture all possible moments. Let's face it, there's a teeny-meeny shutterbug in each of us that flowers out at such instances!

Name Tags

It's been ages since you all met, and truth be told, none of you are as 'charming' as you once were. Name tags are a must. You see, greeting an old friend might be a tad difficult if you don't recognize him.

You can take it a step further, and get tags with funny cartoons, or sayings over them. Small, quirky and attention-grabbing details like this will go a long way in bettering your reunion. You can also include the respective person's photograph on the name tag from all those years ago.

Be Unique!

Punch

Clear punch poured out in a massive crater-shaped bowl -- the image definitely rakes up high school memories. Make it a point to serve punch; not only does it add to the high school theme, it solves the problem of arranging for drinks!

Those who prefer alcoholic drinks can use it as a mixer, while others can savor the fresh fruit juice. Alternatively, you can also serve alcoholic punch. However, make sure that the bowl is labeled out legibly.

★ Orange punch with a twist usually pleases all kinds of taste buds. Orange zest, concentrate, and sherbet come together brilliantly with gingerale to produce yummy-licious goodness!

★ Sangria is another safe bet when it comes to punch -- easy to whip up and guests guzzle it down in no time. There are countless different recipes available online for the same.

Craft a Photo Frame

Get a frame handy for the day of the reunion. You could either arrange it from elsewhere, or craft a simple one at home with some plastic and cardboard. By the end of the reunion, you'll find that everyone had a crazy time posing for the pictures, and you'll have a zillion snaps to upload.

★ A unique and easy, do-it-yourself idea for such a frame is that of a Polaroid border. All you need is stiff white cardboard, cut out exactly in the shape of a Polaroid snap!

★ If you're creative and don't mind the effort, then you could easily make your frame a lot more colorful by using either neon paints, or cartoon cutouts from magazines, etc.

Confessions on Chits!

This is an innovative way to get people bonding at the reunion. Keep small pieces of paper, or post-its handy on a table along with a clear bowl. Now say, if I have to tell you that I had crush on you back then, or you had a funny hairstyle, I could just write it out on the paper, fold it tightly, and write your name on top of the chit. So, at the end, everyone could take the chits home that had their names on it! It could be something embarrassing, funny, or even a confession!

But if everyone took their chits home, where's the fun in that? People should have the option of folding the chit, or leaving it as it is. This way, all the open ones could be read out loud, while the folded ones could be handed over quietly (that is, if you like sticking to your word. After all, no one said you had to!)

There are several other minor issues that'll crop up every now and then while planning a reunion. Thus, having a committee in place is a good idea. That way, responsibilities can be divided, whereas ideas can be combined. With proper planning, your reunion party will be an event that most of your batchmates will cherish for a lifetime!