Struggling with free mixing at family gatherings - need advice, assalamu alaikum

Assalamu alaikum. I come from a large South Asian family where free mixing with extended relatives is normal. When we all gather, often everyone sits in the same room and it’s hard for me to avoid talking with my male cousins. I grew up with them and always thought of them as brothers, but in the past year I’ve realized it’s not correct Islamically. Sometimes gatherings start off segregated, but then my male cousins (and even husbands of aunties and cousins) will come and sit with the women and chat casually with me. Lately I’ve been trying to limit interaction - giving short, one-word answers and trying not to engage - but it remains difficult. If the event is at someone else’s house I can try to keep my distance, but many gatherings happen at my parents’ home so avoiding them isn’t easy. For my relatives, free mixing is just normal and they don’t see an issue with talking to cousins, etc. I’m trying to avoid sinful or impermissible situations as much as I can, but I don’t know how to handle this without causing awkwardness. I don’t want to stop attending family events entirely because I’d miss weddings, Eid, and other important moments, and I’d hate to become distant from my female cousins. Eid especially is painful - I sat with everyone this year and felt my heart ache knowing it wasn’t right. I don’t want to spend another Eid displeasing Allah. Does anyone have practical, simple ways to maintain proper boundaries with non-mahram relatives at family gatherings? How can I discourage unnecessary conversation without creating conflict or isolating myself? JazākAllāhu khayr.