This is How to Manage California Relatives at an Idaho Thanksgiving

My Uncle Frank thought farting at the holiday table was funny.  If some prig got upset, he would start telling dirty jokes.  My grandmother and my mom would get upset with him, and he would look at his nephews and grin.  My other uncles would just roll their eyes.  They had known him a lot longer than the children.  The old timers knew that objecting only encouraged him.  As a boy, I liked Uncle Frank, because he was just an overgrown kid.

There are all sorts of lists available for this time of year, offering advice for those moments when dinner doesn’t fit the mold of a Hallmark film.  One list I saw advised people how to treat guests who struggle with addictions.  We had some big drinkers in the family, but there was rarely any alcohol at family gatherings.  That was probably a good idea because some family members were still nursing old grudges.

One of the recommendations I saw listed was to have an escape room.  Depending on the size of the gathering and the space available in the home, this could be a challenge.  If it’s not your place, you probably don’t have a bedroom for retreat.

My dad had a rec room at the back of an old storage barn, which was connected to the house.  It wasn’t heated in winter, but there was a TV set and if you had on a coat, you could find it a refuge.  Or maybe you go out for a walk after dinner and get some fresh air.

I need to say that I never had a family member I wanted to avoid entirely.  I liked all of them, from the loud, the crude, and the gassy.  I was thankful for the room full of characters.