It's that time of year again. With Christmas coming up, you are probably mentally preparing yourself for the family gatherings and awkward encounters with relatives. For any socially awkward person like me, you would much rather munch on some appetizers than engage in small talk. "No, grandma, I do not have a boyfriend". No matter how bizarre the events at your family gatherings unfold, we can all agree that we have a few of these at the dinner table. Wether you relate to all of them or just a few, I think we can all agree that with the help of these stereotypical relatives, holiday gatherings are interesting, to say the least.

The relative who continues to take pictures- And to make matters worse, every single one of those pictures appear on Facebook within ten minuets. Lets just say those pictures aren't the most attractive, either.

That one cousin who makes everyone else look bad- We all have that one smart, athletic, outgoing cousin who proceeds to make everyone else look like a failure. A Yale student, my brother continues to top the "successful family members" list.

The Aunt who drinks too much wine- Also usually the last to leave. Everyone is noticing the slurring of words, even Grandma. While the elders roll their eyes, the kids find it quite funny. She slowly becomes the life the the somewhat dull party. In many ways, I thank you, for livening up the scene.

The cool uncle- Often seen sneaking beer to the poor under twenty-one year olds, like me.

The cousin who is stoned at the dinner table- This cousin is most likely still in high school going through some kind of emo or skater phase. Don't worry, he'll grow out of it soon enough. While he scarfs down the meal, your uncle asks him if he is allergic to something, with those red eyes. The rest of the cousins look down and chuckle.

The Politics know it all- Claiming he knows everything about everything, we all have that uncle who starts the great political debate. Last year it was over Obama, now Trump seems to be the new topic of discussion. These "discussions" often end in a huge argument. I often don't even know what they are talking about most of the time, if we are being honest.

The one cousin you just click with- We all have that one cousin who we can really bond with. For me, this cousin is around my age. He or she is someone to hang with when the going gets tough at these family gatherings.

In the end, no matter how annoyed or uncomfortable you get, remember just one thing. There is nothing in this world more special than family. So cherish the awkward family gatherings this season, because every one of those guests truly cares about you. Some just make it more obvious than others.