How To Be A Witty Conversationalist At The Christmas Table
Talking with strangers and family can be tricky. Here’s how to navigate the conversational maze.
Introduction
Christmas is more than just a time for family and friends to get together and celebrate the festive season. It’s also a great opportunity to show your loved ones how much you care about them by spending time with them.
By hosting family over the holidays, you can make sure everyone is having fun but also feel like they’re getting some quality time as well. But while there are many ways you can make this happen — including cooking delicious meals or making sure everyone gets something new (like a shiny new toy) — there’s one thing that seems to be consistently overlooked: conversation!
Remember: they’re already dreading the conversation.
If you’re like me and have a lot of good friends, it’s likely that they won’t be looking forward to the conversation either. They already dread it. They want to get it over with so they can get on with their lives.
They’re not interested in talking about the weather or the latest Kardashian tale, and they definitely don’t want to talk about politics or religion or anything else that might get awkward. Everyone is trying not to look at each other while talking about topics nobody cares about anyway (except maybe for one person).
So remember, everyone’s in the same boat!
Don’t dwell on small talk for so long that it gets awkward.
Change the subject and move on to something else if a topic has gone stale.
If you want to keep a conversation alive but don’t know how, ask questions! This will help keep things flowing smoothly and prevent awkward pauses in conversation. For example: “Do you like baking cookies with Grandma’s recipe?”
Light is good. Don’t be too serious.
When you’re at the Christmas table, it can be tempting to go into full-on serious mode. But don’t do that! Instead of being afraid of making things light-hearted and fun, try following these tips:
- Ask easy and obvious questions. As mentioned, they are your crutch. Use them often. You’re not going to offend anyone by asking questions about their day (unless they’re really personal). Start the ball rolling by opening with easy queries. Then expand from there.
- Use self-deprecating remarks from time to time to show them you’re human. It’s safer to tell jokes when you’re the butt of it.
Try to steer away from controversial political topics.
It is important to remember your opinion is just that…your opinion. If you see something or hear something about which you disagree with, don’t feel like you have to defend yourself or pontificate about what you think is right. Instead, ask questions and listen attentively — it’s better than being silent.
When it comes down to political topics though, it can be tricky because there are many different opinions on each side of the aisle and sometimes people get worked up into an argument over nothing at all. So tread carefully.
Pay attention to their conversational cues, and follow their lead.
When you’re talking to someone at the table, pay attention to their conversational cues. Watch for body language and facial expressions, which can give you insight into how they feel about what you’re saying. If it’s clear that they aren’t interested in what you’re saying — and if they seem distracted by something else — change the subject! This will help keep things light and fun without making anyone feel like they have to keep up with your conversation or learn more about the topic of interest.
If someone does bring up a topic that isn’t on your radar (or maybe hasn’t even crossed your mind), ask questions so that everyone involved gets informed on the subject.
Conclusion
The holiday season can be a stressful time. But by remembering that your family is probably dreading the conversation as much as you do, helps a little. Try keeping things light, and you’ll prove to them that they need not dread anything at all!
Merry Christmas everyone! From my table to yours…
