Ah, the festive group chat, the digital space where plans are made, jokes are attempted, and chaos reigns. Every family or friend group has one, and it’s as much a part of the holidays as pavlova and sunscreen. But these chats aren’t for the faint of heart. Here are the classic characters that make your notifications ping louder than Christmas carols:

The Over-Planner: This person treats every holiday catch-up like a military operation. Their messages are filled with spreadsheets, itineraries, and questions like: “Should we do Secret Santa with a $47 budget this year?” Their energy is unmatched, but their 17 reminders about arrival times might send you straight to the “mute” button.

The Ghoster: They were added to the group chat months ago but haven’t said a word since. Are they reading the messages? Are they even alive? No one knows—until they suddenly reply on Christmas Eve with “What’s the plan?”

The Emoji Enthusiast: This person can’t send a message without decorating it like a Christmas tree. “Who’s bringing prawns? 🎄🍤🦐✨🎅” Their festive spirit is contagious, but their overuse of the eggplant emoji in a conversation about fruit platters is... questionable.

The Meme Master:They contribute nothing to the actual planning but flood the chat with holiday-themed memes. “Santa after eating all those cookies 🎅➡️🍪➡️🤰😂” is their idea of helpful input. Do they make you laugh? Yes. Are they slowing down the chat? Also yes.

The Food Critic: Every suggestion about what to bring is met with scrutiny. “Pavlova? Don’t you think that’s overdone? How about a deconstructed trifle?” By the end of the thread, they’ve volunteered themselves for dessert duty—just as they intended.

The Calendar Confuser: No matter how many times the date and time are confirmed, they’ll still ask, “Wait, are we doing this on the 25th or the 26th?” Their inability to read previous messages is a holiday tradition in itself.

The Late Arrival: They always respond hours (or days) after everyone else. By the time they chime in with “I can bring sausages!” the menu has already been sorted, leaving them to bring... napkins.

The Over-Sharer: The chat is about who’s bringing salad, but they somehow segue into a detailed story about their dog’s latest vet visit. Nobody asked, but now you know more about Fido’s digestion than you ever wanted to.

This year, spare a thought for the poor soul tasked with managing the holiday group chat chaos. It’s a tough gig, but without them, there’d be no BBQ, no cricket, and definitely no plan. So maybe resist the urge to mute, and instead, reply with a thumbs up, and maybe a festive meme or two.

After all, what’s the holiday season without a little digital drama?