As we gear up for the festive season, there’s one thing that always takes centre stage, and that is family. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, they’re inevitably part of the celebrations. Here are six of the family members you’ll find at any Maltese Christmas lunch.
1. The Nanna (i.e. the boss lady)
We love our nannas and ‘tis the season for her to make us chubby. How can we resist that glorious nanna food?! The classic phrase kul ha tikber comes out every year and it’s basically an insult if your plate isn’t wiped clean. You’ve been warned…
2. The obnoxious cousin
That one family member that WON’T SHUT UP about everything they’ve got going on. You’ll be eye rolling so hard at everything they say. It’s inevitable, people. Just make sure your beau, bro or sis are there to get you through the pain.
3. The other cousin
There’s always that cousin that is constantly on the phone, scrolling away at the latest news or chatting with friends as opposed to conversing with the rest of the table, whom they haven’t seen in months…
4. The generous uncle
This uncle is usually the bachelor (or priest in many Maltese families) who goes round giving envelopes of money to the younger generation. You say, ‘awh thank you, uncle. You shouldn’t have,’ but you’re secretly expecting it because he does it every year and you’re hella broke this festive season.
5. The cute nannu offering drinks
The nannu of the house is the one who’s in charge of the drinks for the day, starting you off with a fabulous welcome drink, and making sure you’re sorted for the rest of the day, topping up your welcome drink every now and then for you to down with your wine. #Goals
6. The drunk aunt
Ah, every family has one of these. Alcohol is being downed by the bottle throughout the meal and there’s always that aunt who has a low tolerance. She’ll be dancing on the table before you know it.