Ah, Thanksgiving. A day to celebrate the bounty of our lives.
Giving thanks for things like our jobs, our homes, our friends and family, all accompanied by an elaborate spread of food and a no judgment policy for how much you eat in one day.
What’s not to love?
… Oh yeah. Thanksgiving dinner with friends and family, some of whom you have literally nothing in common with. Knowing that one poorly-timed sharing of your opinion could throw the entire day into the fiery pits of friend and family Hell. Ruining good vibes and relationships left and right. Doesn’t sound like your Turkey Day dinner?Well, luuuuuucky you. Remember to be thankful for that. For those who can relate, here’s a list of tried and true topics to avoid if you want to keep the peace (or at least make sure the bickering blame won’t come your way) this year.
Religion
Not everyone shares the same religious beliefs, and that’s okay. Don’t use a relaxing day of food and Thanks to try to convert or condemn anyone. Instead, remind yourself to be thankful we are all allowed the opportunity to practice our beliefs freely.
Money
It’s one thing to congratulate someone on getting a raise or disclose your excitement about a promotion. It’s another thing entirely to prod or boast about the specifics of how much/ little money you or someone else is making. Assume that everyone is working their butts off just like you to make ends meet, be mindful of what some people may be going without, and for the love of all things Thanksgiving, DO. NOT. ASK. TO. BORROW. MONEY. This is not the time to put anyone in that kind of position.
Exes
You bringing those people up at a big dinner wasn’t one of those reasons. If they want to talk about them, they will. If they don’t, you probably shouldn’t either.
MLM
(For those of you who aren’t from Utah County, MLM = Multi-Level Marketing, also lovingly known as Pyramid Schemes.) Leave your oils, smudge-proof lipsticks, crazy wrap things, and varied assortment of health, home and timeshare products out of your conversations. Everyone knows what you sell (thanks, Facebook,) and if they are interested in getting involved, they will come to you.
TV/Books/Movies
These are not entirely off-limits. All they require is the common courtesy of spoiler alerts. Seriously, if you value your life, send up a warning before revealing that huge shock from the GoT finale… I’ve said too much.
Politics
Gun control, birth control, the wall, wearing the flag as clothing, immigrants, Hilary’s emails, Russia, the word “collusion”, sexual harassment, North Korea, military, national monuments, racism, healthcare, women’s rights, medical marijuana, the term “Merry Christmas”, education, Fox News, fake news, sacred lands, national monuments, The White House, the electoral college, crowd size, hand size, pantsuits, long ties, hate crimes, drugs, Obama, voting, gerrymandering, free college, Cuba, drones, LGBTQIA, foreign policy, the dossier, the “pee tape”, Twitter, Equifax, kneeling, standing, sitting, vaccinations, 9/11, mass shootings, Collin Kaepernick, WikiLeaks, the top 1%, The Olympics, tax returns, climate change, global warming, natural disasters, Feeling the Bern, MAGA, Jim Crow, “The Juice is Loose”, prison, press briefings, press conferences, Planned Parenthood, term limits, namesake charities, animal rights, underage girls, taxes…
… Yeah. Probably just stay away from politics. The state of the nation and all contributing topics are hot buttons for a majority of us, and nobody wants to deal with a Facebook-style opinion fight IRL.
With these tips in mind, may your Thanksgiving festivities be filled with delicious food, friends and family, naps, and gratitude. And may the only controversy you encounter be over football, because there will always be a losing team, and it is unavoidable.
