Keep Thanksgiving Day Joyful By Avoiding These Topics

The holiday season is a joyful time for many families. It’s a chance to get together when others live in faraway states or cities. Additionally, it’s also a time to reconnect and reminisce with family and friends. However, many people dread the holiday season because of those awkward dinner table conversations. With that in mind, the folks at Preply.com offer some Thanksgiving Day topics you’ll want to avoid.

All you need to do is check out any social media and you’ll see how politics has divided our nation. Not to mention how political conversations tend to lead to major arguments. That’s the first “un-holy” topic to avoid with family and friends during holiday gatherings.

Coming in a close second, it’s religion. According to Wikipedia.org, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed this holiday to be a day when Americans offer “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.” But not everyone at your holiday gathering may share your religious beliefs. So, it’s probably best to avoid religious conversation to keep everyone thankful to be there.

The third un-holy topic in this trinity of conversation starters you’ll want to avoid is money. Everyone wants and needs money, so why not chat about it? Well, it seems people have strong opinions on how you should spend your cash. Furthermore, they’ll offer opinions on how to invest your hard-earned income. It’s just another way to start a family blow-out, and no one wants that.

Now that we’ve discussed the big three topics to avoid, here are some types of comments that can become awkward on Thanksgiving Day. For example, avoid asking a newly married couple when they’re going to start having kids. It’s really none of our business, right? In the same light, asking a friend or relative why they’re still single could make you the least favorite person at the dinner table.

Furthermore, there are some comments to steer clear of regarding the family feast. For instance, asking the person doing most of the cooking if they’ve basted the turkey yet is not a good idea. When you invite guests to your house for a meal, do you want them to comment on how you should be cooking? Probably not.

Then there are comments to avoid around the dinner table. It’s certainly common sense to avoid telling people it looks like they’ve gained weight or that they’re too skinny. Likewise, commenting on one of your family members plopping too many mashed potatoes on their plate could result in a dirty look or two.

All in all, it sounds like there’s absolutely nothing to talk about during Thanksgiving. But I’m sure you’ll rise to the occasion and keep things interesting and fun. When in doubt, we can talk about the weather, right? Happy Thanksgiving!

The American Thanksgiving feast. For many of us, that phrase conjures up mental images of Normal Rockwell paintings. Above all, it is a time for family to gather. Additionally, it’s a time for many Americans to stuff themselves at the dinner table. However, with grocery store prices at an all time high, many Americans are searching for ways to save money on their Thanksgiving menu.

As a matter of fact, a recent survey from SingleCare.com shows just that. Their press release reveals 69% of Americans are searching for ways to save money on their holiday feast.

With inflation at an all-time high last year, Thanksgiving turkeys were more expensive than ever. Although prices on that juicy bird have come down a bit this year, Thanksgiving dinner will still be more expensive.

In fact, I checked out WellsFargo.com for their annual “Agri-Food Intelligence” report for Thanksgiving 2023. Although turkey prices are less expensive this year, other items on your Thanksgiving menu will cost more. For example, ham prices are up about 5%. In addition, canned pumpkin prices have risen a whopping 30%. Of course, every holiday dinner table has to have a green bean casserole on it. The article by Dr. Michael Swanson, Courtney Buerger Schmidt, and Brad Rubin says the price of green beans is up almost 9% from last year.

At this time, it’s a little too late to advise you to “shop early.” However, if you’re shopping this weekend or next week, you can still use coupons and savings apps. That’s according to an article on TakeChargeAmerica.org. Additionally, they advise cutting back on the number of appetizers. Furthermore, limit the number of beverage choices for your guests. These are two areas where my family goes overboard every year. We love our appetizers and holiday spirits.

Now, scroll down for five more easy ways to save money on this year’s holiday feast. These money-saving tips are courtesy of an article by Jennifer Streaks, edited by Libby Kane. I found it on BusinessInsider.com. Happy Thanksgiving!

Before you even decide to head on over to the grocery store to shop for your Thanksgiving Day feast, be sure to check to see what's inside your kitchen cabinets. Just because you traditionally have a green bean casserole on the holiday table doesn't mean you must every year. You may have other canned or jarred vegetables that you can use as a tasty holiday side dish. Either way, be sure to check what you have on hand so you don't overbuy at the supermarket.

Sure, we all look forward to Thanksgiving dinner to stuff ourselves on turkey and ham. Some families love to add a beef roast. Others like to have a seafood course on the table as well. Is all of that really necessary? Well, maybe this year your holiday table won't be packed with meat for a change. Maybe it's time to add some vegetable or quiche options instead. We're certainly not recommending that your Thanksgiving feast be devoid of meat. Roast that turkey! But, maybe so many meat options aren't necessary this year.

It's always a generous gesture to treat family and friends to a scrumptious Thanksgiving dinner. However, why do you have to spend all that cash to treat everyone? Instead, ask those you invite over to bring a dish that they love at their family's traditional holiday table. Not only will this idea help you cut costs, you may also discover some delicious dishes that you'd like to incorporate into your future Thanksgiving feasts.

According to the BusinessInsider.com article, stores like Walmart, Target, and Trader Joe's offer full Thanksgiving Day meal kits. Most are priced for budget conscious shoppers. For example, Walmart's meal kit "includes a 16-pound turkey, chicken stuffing mix, canned turkey gravy, french fried onions, cream of mushroom soup, canned cranberry sauce, and a pack of rolls." The cost? Just $30 bucks! Not bad.

What is your family's favorite part of the turkey? The breast? The thighs? Turkey legs? Whichever it is, trying buying them as parts instead of purchasing an entire bird. You may be able to get more of what your family loves instead of trying to find uses for the leftover parts most don't enjoy.

Larry Martino is the long-time afternoon drive personality on 96.3 KKLZ. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of Larry Martino and not necessarily those of Beasley Media Group, LLC.

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