Good Question: How Do You Keep The Peace During The Holidays?
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Grandma might still be upset that Hillary Clinton lost.
Your cousin could be very excited about making America great again.
On Thanksgiving, those people and opinions will come together. So how do you keep the peace during the holidays?
"A lot of people have really personalized this particular election, so to disagree with them is a bigger deal than maybe it's been in previous years," said Dr. Dan Kessler, a psychologist with Allina Health.
Dr. Kessler says, like social media, you are not going to convince someone you are right and they are wrong.
It is important to recognize their opinions are just as valid to them as yours are to you.
We have heard stories this year about people sending out emails in advance of Thanksgiving dinner. They ask politics not be discussed or that the election not be brought up during dinner. That is certainly not for every family, but some could benefit from a little planning ahead of time.
"If you can have a really respectful conversation, it's terrific. Some families can do that," Kessler said. "If you can't, it's a really good time to thank Uncle Bob for his opinion and talk about how great the turkey is this year."
He recommends taking a walk, going outside or getting some fresh air if the conversation gets too heated. Talk about sports or how the kids are doing in school.
"We could argue with our families, but they're important to us," Kessler said. "Getting along with them is a lot more important than convincing them that they're wrong and we're right."
