Thanksgiving is a time to be with your family. It also means that it is a time to deal with being around your family. Some families are so seamlessly aligned that a Thanksgiving dinner is just another chance to share stories and catch up. For some, it is a time filled with cautious conversations and a hope that your tío won’t bring up politics. Don’t worry. If you find yourself on the other side of the spectrum with your family, we have the tips for you to make the holidays easier to navigate.

Study up on your positions before Thanksgiving

For some, the ultimate goal is to avoid politics altogether. According to a YouGov poll, many Americans are preparing to avoid politics altogether at the dinner table this year. Thirty-one percent of people who responded to the poll said that it was very likely that they would discuss politics at Thanksgiving. More than 50 percent said that it is very not likely or not at all likely that they would bring up politics at Thanksgiving.

However, just because you don’t plan to discuss politics doesn’t mean that someone else won’t. In that moment, you can either choose to engage or choose to ignore. If you are someone who wants to engage, do some prep work. Read up on the topics that you think might come up. Whether it is immigration or the economy, make sure you have some facts ready.

You don’t want to get into a political debate that might backfire. Choose your battles carefully and concentrate on the subjects you understand most deeply.

Pay attention to what is being said

People are going to be spending more than one day together as families travel to celebrate the holiday. If you have a family member who is definitely going to try to coax you into a political debate, pay attention to what they say during the holiday break. There might be a few things that they bring up that might invalidate their argument later.

Paying attention to little things, like a complaint about something in their life, could be the pushback you need later. There are ways to show them that they are trying to defend or attack a policy that is having a real impact on their lives. Drawing their argument back to the actual policy being discussed and pointing out their previous statements might squash the whole thing.

Prioritize your relationship with the family member

Talking politics hasn’t always been the all-out contact sport it is today. There was once a time when politics had an air of civility and those in power weren’t trying to harm the country. Those days seem like a far distant reality, and they are in many cases. Unfortunately, these days, politics is divisive and harmful to many.

With that understanding, political conversations at Thanksgiving can turn into a painful argument with a loved one. Instead of reacting in kind, take a breath. Think about who the person is to you and how you can have a conversation with them without hurting them or causing division. If they are someone close to you, you’ll be seeing them after the holiday.

Manage the conversations with strategy this year. The year after an election can always feel tense. The president has had almost a full year to implement their agenda, and the pain or progress is starting to show itself. The emotions are going to be strong, and people are going to argue, but you don’t have to get sucked in.

The best advice on how to navigate Thanksgiving with potentially aggressive and upsetting relatives is to protect yourself. Remove yourself from conversations that are hurting you. Distance yourself from family members or family friends who are vocal about being against your well-being. Whatever it is, do what will leave you feeling good.

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