Christmas with crazy family preparation list:

[Quagmire]

Things it's not safe to talk about:

1. Politics
2. Religion
3. Current Events
4. Science
5. Literature
6. History
7. Diet and Nutrition
8. Sports
9. Finance
10. Traffic

Things it's usually safe to talk about:

1. Movies
2. Food
3. Pets


Anybody have any other suggestions?

 

[ChristineM]

Cows, it's always safe to talk about cows.

At around 15:30 my parents phoned, they would be with us early evening... First I heard about the week long visit :-(
Dad is a retired dairy farmer, been retired a whole 3 months and he misses his cows. So we have talked about cows this evening.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

I have no idea, so I basically remain a wall-flower. I had no family at all until I was 70, when my partner bought me the Ancestry DNA kit. Now, I know I have 16 half-brothers and sisters (I've met or talked to 12 of them), along with many dozens of nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.

Just yesterday, I went to a family Christmas gathering where about 20 of those family members were -- I found I talked about very little. I find it hard, because they've all known each other all of their lives, yet I, the oldest of them all, have met most of them only 2 or 3 times each over the past 5 years.

I have to admit, the stress wears me right out.

 

[ChristineM]

I have no idea, so I basically remain a wall-flower. I had no family at all until I was 70, when my partner bought me the Ancestry DNA kit. Now, I know I have 16 half-brothers and sisters (I've met or talked to 12 of them), along with many dozens of nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.

Just yesterday, I went to a family Christmas gathering where about 20 of those family members were -- I found I talked about very little. I find it hard, because they've all known each other all of their lives, yet I, the oldest of them all, have met most of them only 2 or 3 times each over the past 5 years.

I have to admit, the stress wears me right out.

I just think it's nice that you've found your family.

 

[Quagmire]

I had no family at all until I was 70,

You should have said something, @Evangelicalhumanist, I would have let you have mine.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

You should have said something, @Evangelicalhumanist, I would have let you have mine.

Yeah, and then look where I'd be -- all of yours, and a hundred or so of mine! As Scrooge said, "I'll retire to Bedlam!"

 

[JustGeorge]

Things it's not safe to talk about:

1. Politics
2. Religion
3. Current Events
4. Science
5. Literature
6. History
7. Diet and Nutrition
8. Sports
9. Finance
10. Traffic

Things it's usually safe to talk about:

1. Movies
2. Food
3. Pets


Anybody have any other suggestions?

Sunken ships. Its probably safe to talk about sunken ships.

When my oldest was small, he had no filter. We went to a UU church, and there were a lot of things he liked to talk about(particularly politics) that would get him in trouble. We'd gone through a list of things not to bring up while there, and headed out. He was sitting next to me, and I heard "is it okay to talk about sunken ships here?" I laughed, told him it was, but that was probably the first big clue that we were in the wrong place.

 

[ChristineM]

I have no idea, so I basically remain a wall-flower. I had no family at all until I was 70, when my partner bought me the Ancestry DNA kit. Now, I know I have 16 half-brothers and sisters (I've met or talked to 12 of them), along with many dozens of nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.

Just yesterday, I went to a family Christmas gathering where about 20 of those family members were -- I found I talked about very little. I find it hard, because they've all known each other all of their lives, yet I, the oldest of them all, have met most of them only 2 or 3 times each over the past 5 years.

I have to admit, the stress wears me right out.

I've just been told this morning that my grandfather was a bit of a lad. Dad thought he had one brother, but...

He's recently discovered he also has 3 younger half brothers and 2 half sisters. Along with their multitude of offspring.

Mom and dad turned up here last night (surprise). They are heading to Spain to meet all but one half sister who wants nothing to do with the family.

If grandma and grandad were alive now she'd murder him.

@Quagmire

So I'll add family to the not safe list (unless its safe to do so)