Quality time, along with meaningful chats, may help some connect.
But when it comes to bonding with his brother, Midsomer Murders' new recruit Gwilym Lee has a different trick up his sleeve.
"Alan Partridge is a big influence in my life," says the 30-year-old, laughing. "My brother had never seen it, so last Christmas I bought him the entire box set and told him to watch it.
"Two episodes in, he called me and said, 'I understand you so much more now!'"
The rest of us will become better acquainted with the actor soon too, when he makes his debut in Midsomer Murders as Detective Sergeant Charlie Nelson.
Whippersnapper Nelson replaces DS Ben Jones – who was played by Jason Hughes for seven years – as DCI Barnaby's new partner in crime.
"When I told my mum I got the part, she was delighted. She's like my own personal publicist and has really spread the word," says Lee. "She's my biggest fan, and the rest of the family are very pleased too. They're incredibly supportive."
Nelson arrives shortly before Christmas and, unbeknown to the rest of the characters, is living in a hotel. "Suddenly, they realise that he has no one to stay with over the Christmas period, so Kate [Tamzin Malleson] invites him to become her lodger," explains the actor.
DS Nelson's look, he reveals, is quite a contrast to previous sidekicks.
"We've broken with tradition. There's no suit and tie – instead, he wears T-shirts and jumpers."
There have already been some teething problems on set, though.
"I've forgotten my character's name a couple of times," he says. "In one scene, I got my ID out and was trying to be really assertive and formal with two suspects.
"I said, 'This is DCI Barnaby. Erm, I'm DCI Lewis... erm, Nelson! Wrong show, wrong show!
"The director was like, 'What's going on?'," adds Lee, who appeared in fellow crime drama Lewis in 2009. "It was on one of my first jobs out of drama school," he says.
Raised in Birmingham, Lee trained at the Guildhall School Of Music & Drama and cut his teeth on the stage before winning small parts in Channel 4's Fresh Meat and BBC One's Restless.
Midsomer Murders is his biggest gig to date, and he admits landing such a major TV role left him feeling "pretty nervous" on the first day of filming – and that's before some famous faces popped in.
"We had Rebecca Front in my first episode and, as far as I'm concerned, she can do no wrong," he recalls.
"She's a bit of a hero and, all of a sudden, I'm working with her. You have to stop yourself from going, 'I just think you're great and The Thick Of It is so amazing'."
While Lee was awestruck by Front – and comic actor Mark Heap, who also crops up in the series – he's found that his own street cred has shot up among friends since he scored the role.
"My flatmate's girlfriend's from Sweden and she's in the fashion industry, very cool, quite an ice cold demeanour," he explains.
"I said, 'I'm doing Midsomer Murders'. and she was like, 'Oh God, I watch it every Christmas with my family!' She was close to tears with excitement."
Midsomer Murders: The Christmas Haunting airs on ITV on Christmas Eve, 8pm
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