Let’s just admit this: Thanksgiving isn’t the ‘harmonious’ or ‘peaceful’ day as we all believe it to be.
There are people who might be dreading Thanksgiving because of all the hot debates that could be served along with the delicious turkey and mashed potatoes. Remember, the last Thanksgiving dinner fight?
And if you’re living with a dysfunctional family, things can get nasty real quick!
Since we’ve just passed through the elections, it’s very likely to have all those fueling political debates hijacking your “peaceful” family dinner!
Honestly, political disputes are ugly, and all those disputes will likely spill over onto the Thanksgiving dinner.
Oh, also the pandemic! This year’s thanksgiving is going to be a whole lot different than previous years, obviously, in a bad way! Damn 2020!
If you still didn’t get the idea, picture this: a distant uncle joining the dinner via zoom, a cousin who finding out she’s COVID positive moments after you greet her, a brother who’s been shouting over how Biden has rigged the election, and another burnt turkey in the oven… total chaos!
And here you are… sitting on the toilet seat, scrolling through this blog, looking for ways to avoid this family feud! Well, this too shall pass; all you need to do is to take a deep breath and scroll down to discover the five magic tricks to avoid family fight on Thanksgiving:
The biggest cause of any fight is when the opponent isn’t listening. It may be tempting to speak over one another and assume that you already know what they are going to say, but once you’ll start listening, you will see that the debate is getting calmer steadily.
Keep your mind open and understand what you have been told.
Nobody is out to get you! Relax! If your relatives have different political beliefs, let it be! It doesn't necessarily mean that they intend to offend you.
Truth be told, it isn’t important to have an opinion about everything. Even if you do, don’t try to enforce it on another person. Ask yourself if the debate is really worth your energy and time? Is it really important to prove yourself right even if it costs your relationship with that person? If the answer is no, you should move on and call it a day!
This thanksgiving, try to be grateful for your opinionated relatives as they provide you with countless other perspectives which you might not have thought of.
It’s easy to get irritated by your obnoxious Uncle Joe and always-criticizing aunt Amanda.
Instead of lashing out at them, think about all the sacrifices they have made to improve your life. Maybe, this will help calm your anger and allow you to slip into the thanksgiving spirit.
Yes, your relatives may have strong opinions about how to cook a turkey, or maybe they don’t like your side dish, or they may find your thanksgiving decorations a little too over-the-bored.
Whatever it is, think of it as a constructive criticism or an opportunity to learn from.
It’s not a personal attack, so relax and have a chill pill!
Happy peaceful Thanksgiving Day!