Pop culture conversation topics to break the ice this Christmas!

Yes, Christmas is a time of joy and family fun, but it's also a time of awkward chit-chat with extended family you haven't clapped eyes on since this time last year.

Once you've covered the "aren't we so lucky with this mild weather?" and "God, hasn't the year FLOWN" basic chit-chat topics, it can be hard to figure out what to say next.

To avoid choking on your turkey with the awkwardness of it all, here are a few pop culture moments from 2014 to bring up if you're in need of a conversation starter…

1. With teens 
Teenage cousins who'd rather be anywhere but here, cranky adolescent siblings… you get the picture.

– "On a scale of amazing to AMAZING, what did you think of Taylor's new album?"

– "Do you reckon Justin is going to win Selena back? Her performance at the AMAs broke my heart."

– "Those new Instagram filters, amirite?"

2. With middle-aged relatives
Long-lost aunts and uncles, the Godmother you haven't seen since 2003, etc.

– "Who knew Stevie Wonder had NINE kids? The man's a machine."

– "Have you managed to delete the new U2 album from your phone yet?" N.B: confirm they're not a U2 fan first.

– "How amazing was Ellen's Oscar selfie? I vote we re-create it for this years family picture."

3. With those of an older vintage
Grandparents, grand-aunts, grand-uncles, elderly relatives… and so on.

– "I think 2014 was Ryan's best Toy Show yet, don't you?"

– "Enda's Christmas message: what's the verdict? He did well to throw in that Facetime line."

– "The Mrs. Brown's Boys Christmas Special – hit or miss? I think they used up all the best material for the movie, personally."

4. Your emergency bonus topic
For when a serious tumbleweed hits

– "So, what did we all think of Kim Kardashian's bum in that photo shoot?" *runs away*