‘Tis the season for awkward, uncomfortable, and sometimes fiery conversation at the holiday dinner table. But it doesn’t have to be so! Leaving politics, religion and sex at the door this year, let’s fill our Christmas/Hanukah/Kwanzaa gatherings with candor – real conversation that is both interesting and respectful – and maybe a little entertaining. Here are 6 ideas to get started:

• The 2019 Kennedy Center Honors: From Sesame Street, to Sally Field, Linda Ronstadt, Michael Tilson Thomas, and Earth, Wind and Fire, who was your favorite honoree and why do you admire them?
• How old do you think your dog really is? Turns out, we’ve been pretty off in calculating x7 in dog years. Instead, dogs age a different pace than humans, maturing very quickly at first (a 2-year-old dog is about 42 in human years) and then slowing down considerably (double that and a 4-year-old dog is about 53).
• The Society & Culture genre is dominating podcasts right now with our current obsession for true crime podcasts leading that category. Who’s listened to S-Town, Bear Brook or Man in the Window: The Golden State Killer (which topped Apple’s charts this fall)? Learn what everyone else enjoys and get recommendations for your road trip back home.
• Did you know that writing a book is consistently in the top 10 for bucket lists? Find out what other people would write about. Or, if writing a book isn’t their thing, what is? From whale-watching to the Super Bowl, discover what tops everyone’s bucket lists.
• For my Virginia friends, did you know Richmond is known as the capital of Tacky Lights?! Local over-the-top holiday light displays are making national appearances once again on The Great Christmas Light Fight!
• And lastly, food for thought – come prepared with open-ended questions to inspire thoughtful, non-controversial conversations. What was the worst gift you gave or the best gift you received? Where do you want to travel next? What do you most want to accomplish in 2020?

Here’s to a joyful – but mostly at least pleasant – holiday celebration with all your fascinating friends and family!