Every holiday, we talk about how to manage difficult relatives, how to avoid arguments and fights and to see your way through family gatherings in a way that minimizes conflict and maximizes enjoyment.

This year, given what we have seen on social media during the presidential campaign, and the conflicts that many families already have around the election results just ahead of the holidays, the proverbial “politics as a topic” cat is out of the bag. If we are not prepared, we may see some of the worst holiday fights in recent history. Think about the scenario:

You have a family together for an extended period of time. People are out of their routines. They overindulgence in food and alcohol. There may be family members who may not spend any of the rest of the year together and don’t know each other well. One single mention of the election outcome is enough to trigger an explosion of an argument on so many fronts. Just to name a few:

• Ideological differences
• Voting differences
• Perceptions around morality
• Perceptions around social issues, immigration and homosexuality
• Perceptions around healthcare and personal responsibility

Any one of these can quickly disintegrate from an issues discussion to personal attacks, questioning of character, and a discovery of information about a relative that you might never have known or want to know.

Arguing politics could turn Thanksgiving into a food fight. (iStock)

What can you do?

Prepare yourself mentally – Set your own boundaries. What are you going to talk about and what are you not going to talk about? How are you going to disengage from a conversation if it should come up? (You need your own phrases, something along the lines of: “I’m sorry, but I just don’t want to go there right now.”)

Consider ground rules for the family – There is definitely a precedent for bringing it up and getting the family to agree on what will be discussed, what won’t and what the rules of engagement should be.

Have an escape plan – How will you check out of a conversation and where can you go to clear your head?

Don’t overdo it on togetherness –  Set limits on how long you will visit, how many days, hours, etc. Better to keep it shorter and sweeter for everyone.

Think before you speak – You  may feel like launching into a position or defending your beliefs, but ask yourself, is it worth it? Will my short-term “win” result in a long term “loss”?

Remember, this is your life and holiday, too. Don’t overextend or overdo just for the sake of family. Too much food, too much drink, too little sleep and just a dash of political discussion may be the beginning of the end.