That was a common thing in the neighborhood we grew up in during the 1950s. Close friends of the family were called “aunt” and “uncle.” Our kids were taught “Ms.” or “Mr” First Name to show both familiarity and respect.
Apparently it is also cultural – the Vietnamese refereed to Ho Chi Minh as “Uncle Ho.”
That was a common thing in the neighborhood we grew up in during the 1950s. Close friends of the family were called “aunt” and “uncle.” Our kids were taught “Ms.” or “Mr” First Name to show both familiarity and respect.
Apparently it is also cultural – the Vietnamese refereed to Ho Chi Minh as “Uncle Ho.”