It’s the season to spend time with family and celebrate the season. Whether you’re celebrating Hanukkah, Kawanza, or Christmas, odds are you’ll be seeing a lot of relatives this year. The question on everyone’s minds is how to survive the holiday season when your child comes home from college, or when that one cousin, uncle, or a grandfather who’s been a Democrat his entire life comes to visit. We have the solution.

1) Try To Avoid Politics All Together!

This is harder than it looks. But if your family member or members can’t be bothered to have a civilized conversation, this may be the solution for you. The same thing applies if you get too fired up and can’t let it go until the opposition admits defeat. Sometimes there’s safety in avoidance…this especially applies if you, a Trump supporter have a cousin who supported Bernie Sanders until Inauguration Day. With that being said, it is just easier and healthier to not delve into those topics.

2) If Your Family is Generally Political Try to Find Common Ground

This is easier said than done. But it can happen. Were you part of the Never Trump Republicans? Great! You and your Hillary supporting, the first-time voter now has a topic of conversation. You may have different opinions, but at least you can throw shade at the president together. Afterall this is a time for coming together.

You can apply this to any other topics. If you’re fiscally conservative but socially liberal, you can find something to talk about. There are options that don’t involve glaring at the Obama/Biden bumper sticker on your Uncle’s Car.

3) In the Spirit of Avoidance Talk About Movies

Movies and music are a great topic, just be aware of the hot and controversial movies that will have your SJW relative screaming with anger at the racism, sexism, or something else that is within the movie, or its casting. Everyone should be equally offended by the Hollywood sex scandals, but that’s not dinner conversation. Be aware they might need to excuse themselves to the designated safe-space in the house. I recommend the basement, attic, or whatever room is at the opposite end of the house. For their safety and yours. Ask them about the new Star Wars movie is a safe bet…unless you want a lecture on the parallels between the Nazis and the First Order. Black Panther might be safer.  This especially applies to kids home from college.

4) Literature and Banned Books

Now the degree of this depends on how cool your relatives are, their level of liberalism vs conservative attitudes and how they feel about other people. Try to keep the conversation in the realm of fiction.  Books are a pretty safe bet unless your college-bound daughter or niece has been reading anything written by Toni Morrison or Eve Ensler, in such a case. Run. Run far away.

5) There is no full proof plan

Sadly nothing will work 100% of the time, it all depends on your own relatives and no one knows those better than you. The only thing you can hope for is to remain calm, collected and if they start something to try your best to steer the conversation to something less controversial because remaining sane is the only true way to survive. Avoiding politics, or sticking to a few select topics you can all agree on can be helpful, but it all depends on the people you’re dealing with. Hopefully, a quiet Christmas awaits you, without bloodshed.

Wishing everyone a happy and bright Christmas, and a wonderful New Years.