As the trees start shedding their leaves, the rain keeps pouring, and the autumn season comes to fruition, everyone is excited to watch fall comfort movies, bake pumpkin pie, but more importantly, eat what their heart desires on Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is widely regarded as a holiday celebrated with loved ones, to have nice conversations and eat a great meal – but regardless of the meaning behind this holiday, the delicious turkey, the fruitful cranberry, and the slimy green beans, there’s still one overarching issue… Awkward Thanksgiving table talk.
Whether it’s grandmas asking nosy questions about love lives, or uncles uncomfortably ranting on and on about sports, everyone has struggles with what type of conversation to make on Thanksgiving. Oftentimes, this stems from taboo topics like politics, personal relationships, and rigid family dynamics.
“During Thanksgiving, it is both food-oriented as it is conversation-oriented for me,” said Alyssia Pottle, senior at Marshfield High School. “However, my family does have ‘do’s and don’ts’ for conversations,” says Pottle. “And if things do get awkward, I usually just go to the kids’ table.”
In Pottle’s family, there isn’t a ton of awkward silences.
“My family raised me to be an independent thinker, and even then, they’re open to discussion, so awkward conversations aren’t so much of an option for us,” she said.
But for some, table topics aren’t as easy. Conversation avoidance tactics are necessary.
“If it does get awkward, I usually just stay quiet and avoid discussion,” said MHS student Shannon White. “And as for ‘hard no’s,’ they would probably just be any basic taboo topic, such as politics or anything sexual. But other than that, we do share the same beliefs. Overall, I think Thanksgiving should be about being grateful and having a nice meal with family.”
Thanksgiving goes by gracefully and smoothly in some families, but for others, it comes as more of a struggle. Some have embarrassing moments that are too corny to handle, and not everyone’s family is easy-going or fun to chat with over the holidays.
“I’d say my Thanksgiving is a mixture of both food and conversation-oriented,” said MHS sophomore Carson Palmer. “We usually take turns talking about our own lives whilst eating.”
There is one caveat for Palmer–the food needs to be edible.
“One time I went over to my mom’s boyfriend’s house, and the turkey was awful,” said Palmer. “It was like toxic waste, I had to get up and spit it out right in front of them; I felt really bad.”
If. and when things get awkward at the table, he has his own coping techniques.
“I disassociate if things get weird,” said Palmer. “My parents and I don’t share the same views, so things usually do, in fact, get weird. But all in all, I believe that Thanksgiving should be a time for a nice meal with your family, not to fight.”
