You can’t live with them, you can’t live without them, but one thing is for sure, as much as you would like to, you can’t ignore them. Today, on the International Day of Families, we look at some of the things that Pakistani families like to do together, (mostly) AT ALL TIMES.
A very famous proverb, ‘A family that plays together, stays together’ quite aptly describes the dilemma of being a part of the average Pakistani family. So here goes:
1.All hail the afternoon tea
Pakistanis love their tea, hands down. We don’t understand people who don’t drink tea and we make it our duty to remind those ungrateful beings of this crime that they commit every-time-they-say-no-to-tea. There is something extra special about the whole afternoon tea affair in the Pakistani families when at nearly 5 o’clock in the evening, family members just sit together to discuss some very crucial family affairs over a cup of tea.
Matters that are discussed over afternoon tea hardly ever reach a conclusion, but owing to their urgency, need to be addressed on a daily basis.
2. The family drama time
Whether we like it or not, drama time is what brings us together, not as much as it used to do before the advent of the internet, but still, we do like to sit together and watch our shows whenever we can. Although it’s more about gossip than anything else, a little bit of Mahira Khan or Fawad Khan in the background does not really hurt anyone, now does it?
3. Khana, always khana
Pakistanis love to invite their phuppis, chachis and tayees (you name them) over to their place for khana. Whoever is in town will be invited, and we don’t have to like them very much as well. That’s another one of the things that bring families together and Pakistanis value family above everything else. Dying to invite the whole family over to your house when you cannot stand them, is a typical Pakistani trait, the reasons of which have never really been clear.
4. Gossip
Pakistanis love throwing big fat weddings to gather all the family members that they can– mostly in order to gossip. Yes, at the end of the day it’s what we like to do, and we take immense pride in it. It all boils down to the fact that Pakistani families are entitled to know each and everything about each other. We don’t understand what keeping a low profile means and family members who do insist upon adopting this sinister state of being, do not exist for us. Pakistanis love attending weddings because we love our families and need to keep abreast of the latest on who’s getting married, who’s having an affair and who’s getting divorced in the family.
