50 Hilarious Family Christmas Photos Shared By People Who Still Cringe At Them Today

The awkward family photo genre is incredibly popular online. And we’ve covered it many a time here on Bored Panda. Once you’ve enjoyed this list, consider checking out some of our best posts about these types of pics here, here, here, and here.

Awkward Family Photos is a full-blown brand. It's so popular that they've even published a board game—Awkward Family Photos Greatest Hits.

Bored Panda asked Mike, the co-founder of the Awkward Family Photos project, a few follow-up questions about awkwardness, letting go of perfectionism, and surviving the holidays.

"I think Christmas photos are particularly awkward because it's more likely that family members are wearing matching sweaters or pajamas and as we know, matchy-matchy=awkward," he told us. And we couldn't agree more. There's something about wearing matching clothing that really ups the weirdness levels in any pic.

According to AFP co-founder Mike, the first step to fighting back against perfectionism is "just letting go of any need to look a certain way on camera."

"Hair doesn't have to be combed, outfits don't need to be perfectly ironed. I think a nice candid shot just after everyone has awoken on Christmas morning is perfect. We want to see bedhead, crumpled pajamas, and grumpy faces," he told Bored Panda.

As for his advice on surviving the holidays in one piece, it's very simple. "Don't go home," he said. "But if you do, make sure there is plenty of egg nog."

Meanwhile, US photographer Dominic Sberna shared his insights about timeless photos, helping people feel comfortable in front of the camera, and how to know if your pictures are finally 'good enough' and stop working on them.

"I think the awkwardness is what makes them [the photos] stand the test of time! It's amazing to look back at what was in fashion or what was socially acceptable, depending on what someone might be wearing or an expression they might be making," Dominic told Bored Panda.

"Photos are like time capsules in a way and they imprint a memory in us. Whether good or bad, they are the only way to pause a moment in life. So in a way, the cringier the better it is to stand the test of time and be remembered."

The pro photographer noted that there isn't one thing that you could tell someone to help them relax in front of the camera.

"You, the photographer, just have to make them feel comfortable. Conversation and showing them it's okay to be themselves. When someone is comfortable with you, they're more likely to open up and have memorable photos taken," he said, adding that though he himself doesn't do a lot of portrait work, he's seen this happen on numerous occasions.

However, moving past perfectionism can be pretty difficult, according to Dominic. "It all comes down to knowing when to stop editing a photo. This comes with time and from making the mistake of 'perfecting it too far,' he said.

"Everyone has a different threshold for this, but it's just something that is learned with time in my opinion. You know your work, you know what you're wanting out of a shot, so you know when it is finished."

If you don’t cringe even a tiny bit when you see these pics, then congratulations, dear Pandas, you’ve clearly mastered your heart, mind, and spirit.

It takes a strong individual not to feel the secondhand embarrassment emanating from these snapshots of silliness.

However, a bit of cringe, a dash of weirdness, and a dollop of awkwardness shouldn’t stop you from having a good time with your loved ones.

Look, at the end of the day, life is short and your time with your nearest and dearest is precious.

So instead of worrying about what everyone else will think, goof off. Be derpy. Pose for some of the most objectively unaesthetic photos known to human history. There is a lot of beauty in imperfection and learning to let go.

Perfectionism and the idea that you and your family ‘should’ be and look ‘perfect’ can actually backfire. If parents constantly make decisions for their children without letting them decide anything for themselves, they end up being more passive and timid while growing up.

Slight discomfort and mild embarrassment are inevitable parts of life. But shielding your kids from these things all the time makes them unprepared to face them when they move out. Resilience is necessary when you’re an adult, and you won’t develop it nearly as well if someone is always making the decisions for you. E.g. what to wear, what (not) to do.

That’s on top of the stress that comes from trying to create an illusion of ‘perfection’ in one’s life. What you see on social media is (most often) far from reality.

Content creators might seem like they have it all, but it’s all a carefully-crafted image. Nobody’s family life is ‘perfect.’ Nearly everyone deals with more or less the same issues and frustrations. Just on a different scale.