Thanksgiving is the time to get together with all of your loved ones to spend some quality time together. There is nothing better than getting all dressed up and starving yourself all day so that you can eat a year's supply of food in about 30 minutes. While it is so much fun to get together and share a giant meal with those that you love the most, the dinner table can be a dangerous place. Once alcohol and full stomachs are thrown into the mix, the table can become a war-zone if the wrong topics are brought up. As such, I have made a list of the topics that you should avoid in order to make your Thanksgiving dinner successful without a fight!
1. The election
Obviously, this one is a no-brainer, but let's face it, it will come up and will probably dominate the whole conversation. If necessary, stuff the largest piece of bread into your mouth to avoid having to engage in the conversation. If it gets volatile, feel free to excuse yourself from the table to avoid WWIII.
2. Classes
"Classes are OK." That is all I would like to say because honestly, if I went into detail regarding the amount of work that I am drowning in or all of the sleepless nights, the feeling at the dinner table would get pretty depressing. Just picture me sitting in a classroom with a giant smile on my face. I promise that is what I actually look like all the time at school. Why would I lie to you?
3. Dating
Yes, I am still single. Yes, I am putting myself out there. Yes, I know any guy would be lucky to have me. I am aware of all of these things, but it is a lot harder than it sounds to date in college. Trust me, I would not be in my junior year and still single if that wasn't the case.
4. The Burnt Casserole
Perhaps if you have nothing else to be thankful for, you could make a comment regarding the catastrophe that occurred in the oven and be thankful that your mother spared your life for saying that. Of course, you would have to actually survive that situation in the first place.
5. Dessert
So apparently your mom, or grandma, or whoever is the chef in you family, spent a lot of time in a boiling hot kitchen and they do not like to hear it when you find the dessert more important than the giant cooked turkey in the center of the table. I can totally see why that is an issue and while I find dessert to be an important part of any complete diet, perhaps it is best to focus on the dinner first and hide the excitement for dessert as best as you can.
6. Past/Pre-existing Conflicts
Now is not the time to remind those you love of all the times they wronged you. Do not rehash old arguments and do not remind your drunk Uncle Stew of the mess that he made last year with the turkey. I do not actually have an Uncle Stew, but nonetheless, Thanksgiving should be a happy time with smiling faces, not a war of angry grimaces. Push aside all of the conflict and focus on the happy stuff.
7. Family Members That Everyone Hates
While this one is easier said than done, sometimes it is hard not to start complaining about those who are not at the table, especially if you all feel the same way. Thanksgiving is supposed to be a day of positivity, not negativity, and while the conversation may be getting everyone engaged, try to avoid harping on the hatred so much.
8. Christmas
It seems as though no one gives a damn about Thanksgiving anymore. Thanksgiving has become the pre-Christmas, and more and more people are arranging their meals so that they can go out early for those Black Friday deals the next day. Please take the time to enjoy Thanksgiving.
9. Columbus
Honestly, just don't do it.
10. Past Thanksgivings
Though it may be good to reflect on the past, the point of Thanksgiving is to be happy about where you all are at that moment. Perhaps it is best to not think about all the other times that you sat at the table, but maybe it is a prime opportunity to focus on all of the positives in your lives instead. Try to have a good time.
