Overview
- Surveys cited in a conservative advice column report that about two in five Americans say they bite their tongues on Thanksgiving and that more than half find cross‑party conversations stressful.
- Columnist Jill Ebstein reverses a long‑standing holiday ban on political talk, proposing time limits and forbidden topics to teach civil disagreement.
- Communications counselor Dan Rene urges guests to keep politics off the table to protect fragile family bonds and to refocus the day on gratitude.
- A how‑to guide advises de‑escalation tactics such as arriving with dessert, nodding and deflecting, avoiding phone debates, playing games, and using a strategic dog‑walk exit.
- USA TODAY readers describe divergent choices this season, including cutting off Trump‑supporting relatives entirely or preserving relationships by steering conversations to safer ground.