9 Amusing Things in a Filipino Family Reunion That You’ll Relate To Christmas season is upon us, which means that it’s that time of the year again when we Pinoys have to go to this inescapable yearly event called family reunion. Family and relationships are important in the Filipino culture, so these gatherings are a must. Although family reunions are meant to be festive ways to celebrate Christmas with our loved ones, let’s be honest: it’s not always a smooth-sailing affair. There are things we are excited about, but there are also things we don’t look forward to. Here are some familiar scenarios that every Filipino expects at his or her favorite (or least favorite) event of the year. Read on, have a laugh, and see if any of these Filipino family reunion scenarios ring a bell.
1. Food Galore
Your entire clan’s signature dishes all under one roof! (Image: Andrea Aviado) Regardless if you’re meeting before or after Christmas, food will be everywhere. Noche buena is a tradition for every Filipino family, and reunions mean plenty of noche buena dishes prepared by each family of the clan. On the table will be your relatives’ best dishes, like your aunt’s signature fruit salad or your grandma’s kaldereta (meat stew) that only she can perfect. Meanwhile, you are required to taste each and every one of these because it’s the only time you might be able to. What’s nice is that you can take home leftovers and enjoy them later. Read: A Mother’s Take on Preparing A Healthy Holiday Menu
2. Nosy Titos and Titas
They may sometimes ask pesky questions, but our aunts and uncles always want the best for us. (Image: Patricia Marie Prado)
In the Philippines the adults, specifically our titos (uncles) and titas (aunts), somehow never run out of questions. They are the reason why single young adults dread attending family reunions. For starters, they’ll ask you why you don’t have a boyfriend or girlfriend yet, and if you have one, they’ll ask you when you are getting married. But the thing is, these aunts and uncles have been our second parents who have always looked after us. It’s your chance to thank that tito who helped you through college or that tita who has always given you fancy gifts during Christmas.
3. Fun Games with Your Cousins
A simple game can turn competitive when your cousins are around. (Images: L, Eunice Unida; R, Febylaine Opelac)
Some aunts and uncles (and sometimes our own parents) can’t help but compare their children with each other. One aunt will brag about her daughter who’s now a doctor, or an uncle will go on and on about how his son just came back from London for a business trip. Despite the comparison, seeing your cousins is one of the best parts of being in a reunion. They are practically your siblings, and in reunions you get to reminisce how naughty you all were when you were younger. Among yourselves, the only competition you’ll be having is beating each other at tongits (card games) or sungka (mancala).
4. Performing Children
Cute little cousins are always the stars of family reunions. (Image: Patricia Marie Prado) It’s not only the young adults who dread family reunions, but also the children and teenagers who will be forced to perform for the whole family. Regardless if they like it or not, or whether or not they are actually talented, one crazy tito or one pleading lola will ask them to sing, dance, or act.
Laugh at them all you want, but when your parents give you the microphone, prepare to sing. You know there’s no way out of it.
5. The Blasting Karaoke
It’s not a reunion if there’s no karaoke present. (Image: Patricia Marie Prado) Since we’re already talking about performing, you know there’ll be a karaoke on your family reunion. Prepare your ears as your drunken uncles sing songs you’ve never heard of and belt high notes you never knew they could reach. Never mind that they are slurring their words as they read the lyrics to Frank Sinatra’s My Way, they will finish their song. And let’s admit it: singing runs in every Filipino family’s veins. Next thing you know you and your cousins will be fighting over whose turn it is.
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6. Drunken Uncles
You’ll be hearing your uncles say “Cheers” as early as 1 o’clock in the afternoon. (Image: Eunice Unida) Drunken uncles are also fixtures in every family reunion. As early as lunch time, men in the Filipino family will set up a table and bring out all kinds of liquors and alcohol, from simple bottles of beer to hard drinks. Avoid them at all cost if you don’t want to be forced into drinking a shot of whatever they’re having. And before you get irritated with the rowdiness, remember that just like you and your cousins, they are just making up for lost time. These are your parents’ brothers and sisters, and they haven’t seen each other for a very long time, too.
Read: Of Bottles and Bubblies: Where to Get Your Wine Fix in the City
7. Nervous Boyfriends/Girlfriends
Bringing your new beau may be awkward, but introducing them to your family is necessary. (Image: Eunice Unida) The beauty of family reunions is seeing faces you haven’t seen in a long time. The fun part is when one of your relatives brings someone new, like his or her boyfriend or girlfriend. Your aunts and uncles would have a field day interrogating these newcomers, and on your part it would be a delight to watch said newcomers get grilled. The fun part ends when it’s your turn to bring one! Still, bringing your special someone to your family reunion means you two are getting serious and it’s only fitting that you get your family’s approval.
8. The Family Uniform
From personalized shirts to color-coded outfits, reunions become better when you all look the same. (Images: L, Ela Mones; R, Eunice Unida) Family reunions in the Philippines can be casual, but they can also be super organized to the point that everyone is required to wear a certain uniform. Usually, it’s either you all wear the same color or there are personalized shirts that you are all required to put on. Call it corny, but at the end of the day it makes for a great kodakan (picture) moment. Squeeze in though, because all of you need to fit inside the frame. Here’s a list of stores where you can buy shirts for your family reunion OOTD. You can also check out the Fashion & Apparelcategory of the ShoppersGuide Directory for more options.
9. Aguinaldo and Christmas Gifts
You’re never too old for a gift. (Image: Eunice Eunida) One of the best parts of Christmas reunions is the gift-giving portion. No matter how young or old you are, as long as you belong to the second or third generation of the family (children or grandchildren), you are in for a Christmas gift. Give your grandparents a kiss on the cheeks, do mano (touching an elder’s hand on one’s forehead as a sign of respect), and you’re already in for some Aguinaldo or money! Don’t even mention the super generous aunts and uncles who give you a couple of bucks or a fancy gift that they bought abroad. But more than the gifts, it’s the spirit of giving that counts. It doesn’t matter if the gift is memorable, clichéd, expensive, cheap, unique, or corny; it’s seeing that you were remembered by your relatives that matters. Whether you find these quirky things fun or annoying, these are what make a Filipino family reunion unique and special. At the end of this one crazy event, the best part is in knowing that you were given a chance to see and bond with your relatives.
Let us know in the comments section your favorite thing about your family reunion. All photos are from the families of some of the ShoppersGuide team.