Thanksgiving has a long history in America, with the holiday existing in some form for over 400 years. A family dinner on this federal day of celebration should bring everyone closer together and create memorable moments for everyone involved. However, awkward conversations are bound to happen at some point, especially considering how different each family member is. To keep things amicable, are a few subjects no one should bring up at the dinner table.
Politics. Nothing can divide a dinner table more than conversations about current political issues. Politics are very important in the world, but some people are extremely passionate about expressing political views, no matter how contrarian they may be compared to the rest of the family. Maybe it would be best to hide those Joe Biden signs in the yard and withhold any jokes about the recent election, as getting into a fight with an uncle is not how anyone wants to spend their Thursday evening.
Divorce or break ups. Whatever happened to Aunt Diedre’s boyfriend? Wasn’t cousin Eddie supposed to be getting married too? Questions like these can come to mind at the dinner table, but what some fail to realize is how asking such questions may not be a great idea. People process break-ups or divorces very differently from one another, and simply talking about it could bring up bad memories for them. There is a right place and time for those kinds of conversations, and the Thanksgiving dinner table is neither.
Religion. Discussing religion at the dinner table is not always a bad idea. Religion can bring many families and friends together and cultivate positivity. However, it can also become a slippery slope for negativity and fighting. Different belief systems can cause friction between some people, so the best option for everyone involved is to skip the subject.
How bad the food is. Thanksgiving is a time of celebration with the entire family, but nothing can sour the holiday joy more than insulting an aunt’s cooking. It doesn’t matter if grandma’s green bean casserole is any good, nobody at the table wants to see her become disappointed in her hard work. If a family member makes a remark about how rubbery the mac n’ cheese is and are met with silence, perhaps it would be best to change the topic to something else.
Divisive topics can be difficult to avoid, especially when they are tied to a family member’s job or lifestyle. The best option for many is to try and curtail those topics and talk about neutral subjects like sports, a movie you watched and enjoyed, or even recent trips a family member may have made. However, if Thanksgiving does diverge into irreparable chaos and tears the entire family apart, at least those caught in the middle can leave the table and watch some football.
Alex Ross
Alex Rossis a third-year Communication student at Lock Haven with a focus in Journalism. This is his second year as an active member of the Eagle Eye and has been the Arts and Entertainment editor, News editor, and an active writer. He focuses on writing reviews for the A&E section, but has written stories for news, sports, and opinions. Outside of the newsroom, Alex enjoys record shopping, reading classic literature, and analyzing films. Alex hopes to work for a film or music news site as a writer or editor after graduation.
