3 great questions that will improve your holiday small talk

The holiday season has arrived, and with it, the opportunity (let’s be positive) of making chit chat with co-workers, acquaintances, and cousin’s fiancés at the inevitable holiday parties that we’ll be attending. For some, the awkward small talk is a painful journey that must be travelled down in order for the holidays to arrive. Personally, I love reflecting on awkward situations, so it’s totally worth it for me. If you’re not a huge fan of these short talks, here are three questions that can begin a conversation you won’t totally regret.

I need a new show. What are you watching?: This question is money in the bank. We all love TV, especially binge watching a new season. We have to wait 364 days for the new season of Stranger Things to come out (I’m assuming we all watched Season 2 in one day), so there’s always a need for a new show. If you’re not yet streaming, it’s time to ditch the dish. Knock that thing off the house and get lost in Netflix. It’ll provide you with an abundance of conversation starters next time your in-laws are in town.

Have you tried (insert restaurant name here)?: Another thing we love is food. They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, and that’s definitely true. I could talk about my favorite restaurants for hours. If you find yourself next to the cheese platter, standing alone with your aunt’s new husband, this is probably a good avenue to explore. You may be pleasantly surprised to find a shared love of smoked meats, or even better, discover a new BBQ joint you hadn’t heard about yet.

Have you ever seen anyone famous? Not everyone has met someone famous, but a lot of people have at least seen someone famous. While you may not get a ton of “I got stuck in an elevator with Robert Downey Jr.” stories, you may at least get a few “I passed Maura Tierney on the sidewalk in NYC once.” A great story is a long shot, but it sure beats talking about the weather.