I’m seeing a lot of articles online about how to deal with family members who don’t agree with your political beliefs during the holidays.
What’s supposed to be a nice time to get together turns into a Facebook argument in real time. Shouting, arguments of bad faith, “whataboutism.” It can spiral quicker than a spiral ham.
The other option could happen, too, when everyone is walking on eggshells because you’re never sure when your sister’s idiot boyfriend is going to open his trap and spew some conspiracy theory or something.
This opens the door to all the family turmoil you’ve kept buried. The fight quickly gets personal. Why waste your breath telling everyone about the ways they disappointed you over the year?
Don’t bother yelling. Yelling never solved anything. If you feel strongly about something, register your dissention in a fair and open-minded way. If that doesn’t sink in, that’s on them. You can always say you took the high road.
Then, afterward, when it’s still gnawing at you, get it off your chest in another way. Write us a letter. One thing you can be sure of is that there are a lot of other readers here who share your pain. And, there are probably a few who need to hear what you have to say because their own family disowned them.
So, send us a letter talking about the things you shouldn’t talk about at the holiday dinner table (but please don’t write to us complaining about your sister’s idiot boyfriend).
Chris Lundy
News Editor
