Thanksgiving Conversations

As we prepare to gather with friends and family for Thanksgiving, check out this list for thoughtful suggestions on how to handle family and politics during the holiday.

Approaching the Dinner Table

• Remember, family and politics can be complicated. To get along, we need to accept the good with the bad. So, don’t air grievances, pick fights, or assume you know something about a family member's political views. Simply allow the person sitting across from you to hold a different perspective without feeling judged.

• Affiliation with a political party doesn’t mean someone agrees with every aspect of that party! By assuming an open stance toward different political perspectives, you create opportunities to learn something new and find common ground.

• Imagine generative, non-controversial question starters! For example, "Give us a hot take on a non-controversial issue" (for example, "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is the best Charlie Brown special ever made"). You could also simply ask everyone to share their favorite childhood Thanksgiving memory.

Dinner Conversation

• Listen to different perspectives. Don't just look for an opportunity to voice disagreement.

• "I hear what you’re saying." When you respond to different political perspectives, communicate that you are listening.

• “I'm grateful that we can talk about those values in a meaningful way." Voice the common ground that you share and express gratitude for that fact.

Dinner Conversation Gone Bad

• Ask yourself whether the conversation you are having is productive. If not, then simply change the subject by checking in about other aspects of your family member's life.

• Remember, words matter! Although politics are important to many people, Christians must remember that we respond to a higher, more important calling.

• Feel uncomfortable during a political discussion? Help clear the table, offer to wash the dishes, or ask to refresh cups of coffee.