Five Tips for Fostering Happy Holiday Conversations
We’ve all experienced some awkward holiday conversations. Many people will be gathering in person this year for the first time in quite a while, so you might be navigating some challenging relationships—like talking to the cousin you rarely see and don’t have much in common with, or the uncle who can’t stop pushing political views you don’t share. Sometimes it can be hard to keep things positive!
We at the Great Books Foundation have facilitated literally thousands of conversations among so many different people, young and old. We know there are simple things you can do to get things moving in a better direction. Here are five tips to try!
- Express appreciation for the occasion. If you can genuinely say that you’re happy for the holiday opportunity to see family members again, that can set a good baseline mood. Statements like “I can’t believe it’s been so long” or “It’s good to see so many of us together” can put the focus on gathering as something to celebrate, rather than to endure.
- Listen without interrupting. Rather than getting defensive or assuming you know where a statement is going, concentrate on honoring the speaker with your attention. Simply hearing someone out—assuming they are not saying something genuinely offensive—can have a powerful effect. Demonstrating respect in this way may help reset a relationship.
- Ask targeted follow-up questions. Pick up on any non-contentious topic mentioned and ask for more information. Questions like “You said you got a promotion at work—how is that going for you?” or “How is your daughter enjoying being on the volleyball team?” can steer a conversation into positive territory.
- Take some thinking time. Especially if a pattern of conflict is already established in a relationship, it can be hard to avoid responding immediately and angrily to a provocative remark. Instead, take a few moments to weigh your reaction and decide how—or whether—you want to react. Even a brief pause can help cool not only your own emotions but also your conversational partner’s.
- Have some phrases ready if you need to walk away. Even with the best intentions, sometimes a conversation can’t be redirected or reset. When that’s the case, it helps to have some simple exit lines in mind. Statements like “I believe we’ll just need to agree to disagree” or “I’ll need to take some time to think about that” can enable you to disengage from an argument civilly.
2021 has been another challenging year! We hope you and yours are able to enjoy the holiday season safely, and we wish you the very best in 2022.
To learn how to use an inquiry-based approach in your educational setting, just select your state or location below to schedule an appointment with your Great Books educational consultant. We will be happy to help you get off to a great start in the New Year!
Senior Professional Learning Consultant and Editor.
Nancy Carr has over 20 years of experience as both a professional development coach and a curriculum developer, working in schools throughout the country and with a wide range of student populations. Her work focuses on the intersection of curriculum materials and classroom practice, and she has helped develop many of the Foundation’s current K–12 materials. Nancy holds a PhD in English from the University of Virginia.
