Family gossip tends to be a given in some homes come the holidays. The problem is you make one benign comment about your troubled sister who ditched Thanksgiving this year and then it gets back to her and she suddenly "forgot" a Christmas present for you and isn't returning your calls. Don't make that mistake. We have too many silly tabloid narratives and inconsequential gossip to bother marring our own family in the name of small talk. Anne Hathaway's wedding anyone? Reese Witherspoon's baby? Elizabeth Banks being an awesome surrogate advocate again? Take your pick.
(photo: Jaguar PS / Shutterstock.com)
David Petraeus's affair may have been considered by some a great tragedy given his career but it's the greatest news story to follow a post-election Thanksgiving for some families. Any lingering political chatter about Romney and Obama can immediately be undercut with "but have you been following this Petraeus thing?" Seriously, I've already test driven this one with my own family. And then you're suddenly talking scandalous military affairs with Grandpa.
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Your host's house may be stocked with all kinds of alcohol, but depending on their taste, you might be stuck sucking down nothing but White Russians (a favorite in my family) all weekend. Desperate times call for your drink of choice so if a glass of Chianti is how you wind down then bring a bottle "for all" -- or seven.
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One of my favorite tactics in a house full of strangers is to attach myself to the kids or the family pet. Either way I looked engaged, like I'm contributing, and am generally having fun. Plus people might be hesitant to talk your ear off if you're keeping the kids quiet or offering to take the dog for a walk. See, you made yourself useful!
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Help with all food where possible. As testy as the kitchen gets, it's always in the adjacent living room or den that the really regrettable talk happens. You'll always have something mundane to toss around with your MIL if you're asking questions about vegetable broth temperature.
(photo: TrotzOlga/ Shutterstock)
Family gossip tends to be a given in some homes come the holidays. The problem is you make one benign comment about your troubled sister who ditched Thanksgiving this year and then it gets back to her and she suddenly "forgot" a Christmas present for you and isn't returning your calls. Don't make that mistake. We have too many silly tabloid narratives and inconsequential gossip to bother marring our own family in the name of small talk. Anne Hathaway's wedding anyone? Reese Witherspoon's baby? Elizabeth Banks being an awesome surrogate advocate again? Take your pick.
(photo: Jaguar PS / Shutterstock.com)
I'm not a big fan of going to the movies on holidays but studios release films on said holidays precisely because of people in your situation. So make use of it. If anyone shows any interest in a movie trailer that flashes by during the Thanksgiving day parade, by all means, say you want to see it to. Even if it's something ridiculous. At the very least you'll get to sit in the dark and eat snacks and have an excuse to not answer your phone for a couple of hours.
(photo: Deklofenak/ Shutterstock)
