7 Types of Relatives You Meet at Family Gatherings

Do you love or dread family gatherings? One of these types of relatives may be the reason for your answer.

Updated 20 Jun 2019

7 Types of Relatives You Meet at Family Gatherings - Feature-Image

Every year, during festive seasons like Hari Raya, Christmas, Chinese New Year, Deepavali, and Gawai Dayak, you get the rare opportunity to see all your extended family members gathered under one roof.

It’s always fun to catch up with them (some more than others), especially your cousins who you haven’t seen in months or even years! But, unfortunately, not every family member is as fun to be around — there’s no escaping those annoying relatives who have a way of getting under your skin. If you can relate, check out this cheeky list of the many types of relatives you’re bound to meet at family gatherings!

#1. The gossip girls aunties

Types of relatives-Gossip aunties

“You know, the other day, my neighbour’s daughter brought a man home... but she’s still not married!”

Ha, this sort of gossip can go on forever when overly talkative aunties meet their gossip gangs at family get-togethers. These aunties are the ones that always have something to talk about, especially when it comes to controversial topics.

Usually, they can be found chilling on the couch eating cookies and sipping tea while filling each other in on juicy gossip. From the British Royal Family’s affair to a sister-in law’s bad habits — they’ve covered it all.

#2. The high achiever

Types of relatives-The high achiever 02

Remember that cousin of yours who always gets good grades? The one that scored straight As in their UPSR, PMR and SPM. On top of that, they just graduated from their pre-university course with flying colours!

“Why can’t you get 10As like Amy?”

It’s hard not to be jealous or annoyed when your parents compare you to your genius cousin and ask you unbelievable questions. Not to mention, your cousin is constantly being praised by all your uncles and aunties who think the world of them.

#3. The kepochi aunty

Types of relatives-The kepochi aunty 02

Ah, the nosy aunt who constantly asks you when you’re going to get married and what you’ve been doing your whole life. She’s the kind of aunt who would startle you when she suddenly pops out of nowhere and asks you who your girlfriend or boyfriend is now. Since you’re cornered and have nowhere to escape to, all you can do is let out a faint laugh while thinking of your exit plan.

This type of relative can be extremely annoying as they won’t stop bugging you until they get the information they want. Beware!

#4. The photographer

Types of relatives-The photographer

Have you noticed that mysterious family member who always has his phone camera out (or even a professional camera) wherever he goes? Yup, that’s him we’re talking about. The artsy relative who randomly snaps a picture of you while you’re stuffing your face with food or even scratching your head.

As “the photographer” isn’t a common type of relative found at family functions, count yourself lucky if he’s part of yours. This rare relative doesn’t say much but goes around capturing memories for other people (how nice). He must have studied a Film Degree or Graphic Design.

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#5. The cool (and rich) uncle

Types of relatives-The cool uncle

This uncle is usually the heart-throb of the family. The younger kids think he’s super fun while the teenagers and adults think he’s pretty cool. The best part? He always gives you a generous ang pow or the most duit raya at the end of the day, which is enough to feed yourself for a whole week.

#6. The anti-social

Types of relatives-The anti-social

We’re sure you can guess how this type of relative acts during family gatherings. They would spend most of their time on the phone, browsing social media and messaging friends on all online platforms. It looks like they prefer virtual communication rather than face-to-face interactions.

Or, perhaps this anti-social relative is trying hard to avoid the kepochi aunty?

#7. The storyteller

Types of relatives-The storyteller 02

Completely opposite to the anti-social relative, the storyteller is the life of the party. He is always telling an entertaining story that almost everyone seems to be engrossed in. As the storyteller brings his tale to life with incredible detail and witty humour, you can’t help but be captivated and grab a chair to listen in.

It’s fun to observe how everyone acts during family gatherings; it’s a reminder that we all have our quirky differences. On that note, what are the other types of relatives you meet at your family get-togethers? Let us know in the comment section below!

Looking for more fun reads about different personalities? Check out the types of students you meet in college!

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    Inas Syaheedah

    Inas Syaheedah

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