Gather Round the Table, Stuff Your Faces With Great Food While Discussing the Finer Things in Life Like Truck Wheels

Happiness is a large, caring, close-knit family….who live as far away from you as possible. If you get this, it’s probably because you have family members you don’t get along with. Well, you wouldn’t be the only one. This is one reason Thanksgiving Day is so stressful. Whether it’s an uncle who spews political garbage or a sister who constantly gripes about everybody else’s kids when hers behave the worst, there is always a relative you wish would just stay home for the holiday.

These people have no idea how Thanksgiving really works; you gather round the table, stuff your faces with great food while discussing the finer things in life like truck wheels.

Instead of getting angry and all in their grill concerning their behavior, there are better ways in which you can handle the situation.

Mindset

When your sister or other relative is calling you selfish or mean and points their finger right at you, remember that it’s really not about you. In fact, these people don’t know anything about you, they are simply spewing out opinions that they have set in their own little minds. While these jabs at you might sting, don’t take it personally. If pressed, simply ask what evidence they have to back this character flaw you supposedly have.

Have a Plan

You better have a plan before the doorbell even rings. Your plan should include where to sit, what conversations you will have and how you plan on responding to sensitive issues. And no, “same to you only worse” is not an acceptable response. You should have an index card filled with a list of canned retorts that can be used when you are unjustly interrogated. You also need to compile a full-proof exit strategy in case the day goes south and there is no hope for redemption.

Pocket Some Security

Instead of crawling to a quiet corner, curling up and sucking your thumb grasping your blankie, find something small and comforting that will fit into your pocket. This can be any small item that gives you a fond memory like a special coin or keychain that you can grasp in your darkest hour.

Deep Breaths Before Speaking

If everybody would stop and take two deep breaths before spewing toxic emotions into the air, we would probably live in a world of peace. We would definitely have less lover’s quarrels. In those critical two seconds before you speak, your neurons make the leap from the fear center of the brain to the more sophisticated part of the brain and you wind up saying something a whole lot less caustic.

Make Plans for After Everybody Leaves

Regardless of how well you prepare for your hateful, sadistic relatives, you may still come away from the whole ordeal with a shattered sense of self. At the end of it all you remain bruised, beaten and deflated. And that’s fine because no matter how hard you prepare for that blow doesn't mean it’s not going to hurt. So when all's said and done, have a happy place you can go to, watch old Bugs Bunny cartoons and sip adult beverages until you drift into a fitful sleep.