Do THIS If You’re Thinking About Having Kids Together

1. Choose your battles ahead of time.

You're not going to change everyone's opinion about all of the things over the course of a meal and a football game. You might want to show up ready for a duel of words with your Facebook-meme-king cousin, but that's just going to put your opinionated family member on the offensive from the moment you walk in. Decide ahead of time if there's one issue that you really cannot keep your mouth shut about if it comes up, and have two or three talking points ready that clarify your position on that topic. If your hot button does get pushed, your talking points will help you keep from making things personal.

2. Confer with the host.

If you feel comfortable with the person that's organizing or hosting Thanksgiving, speak to him or her in advance about how you can be on Team Keep the Peace. Most people aren't keen on a political brouhaha breaking out around their dinner table, so they'll probably be relieved to hear that you're on board and willing to help make the day go smoothly for everyone. Brainstorm some ideas about seating arrangements or wholesome activities to fill the idle family time that can lead to trading barbs.

3. Make it a game.

Caitlin Bergstein, a Boston-based matchmaker and relationship expert for Three Day Rule, suggests a fun twist on the swear jar concept. “If your family is up for the challenge, you can even make it a game. Each time someone mentions something political, they have to put a dollar in a jar (or take a drink, depending on how your family celebrates the holiday). At the end of the night, that cash can be put aside for the next family get together!"

4. Have a moment of silence.

Sometimes the idea of a quiet table can be intimidating (all those chewing noises!), but encouraging a moment of reflection among your holiday guests can actually be transformative. Whether you observe several seconds of silence in honor of relatives you've lost, as a way to silently acknowledge your individual blessings, or as an act of prayer or meditation, you've hopefully brought the room back to focus on each other's company and the gift that it is to be together.

5. Be an active listener.

If your one doggedlypersistent aunt can't let go of her obsession with the latest political scandal, reconsider what she's actually trying to tell you. Chances are, it's not just about what she saw on the news. “Assume that your polarizing relative actually probably just wants to connect, feel respected, and reduce their own anxiety about holiday gatherings, and interpret even difficult behavior as such," advises Mary Fisher, a Salt Lake City psychotherapist who specializes in family relationships. “Express the desire to connect while redirecting the conversation," Fisher recommends. Emphasize the fact that you're interested in protecting the time your family spends together. That can help soften the blow when you ask to instead hear them share a family memory or talk about a hobby you both share.

6. Disengage.

Remember that if angry words or offensive language start flying at you across the sweet potato pie, you don't have to respond. Have a script in mind to use, something like, “While I hear where you're coming from, I don't share your opinion, and I'm done talking about it today." Convey the message that you're quite clear on the matter being discussed, and you're not going to take the bait. You may have to repeat yourself several times, or you may choose to remain silent until things cool down around you. Either one is okay.

7. Duck out early.

If you feel like you have to retreat from the situation entirely, do it. One of the best things about being an adult is leaving when you want to leave. You don't have to subject yourself, your spouse, or your family to any kind of dialogue that is insulting, bigoted, or aggressive. Fisher shares these words of advice: “While we might think that the holidays are the time to resolve differences, they are actually the time to affirm and nurture connection, which can be an uphill battle with politically polarizing relatives." If you don't feel like a connection is being nurtured and the environment is not good for you to be in, say goodbye and make a break for it.

“Good awkward speaks to this idea that a degree of risk-taking is required in order to grow and improve our circumstances or advance at work and in life," says Pryor.

But getting good at embracing those moments of awkwardness takes practice. "Awkwardness is a social emotion,” says Pryor. “We don't feel it when other people aren't around.” The holidays are the perfect time for flexing that muscle. We’re meeting new people. We’re facing family conflicts. We’re talking politics with more people who aren’t in our bubble. We’re having more social interactions at work and seeing relatives who may not always see our point of view.

Here are ways to survive holiday season awkwardness and face it with confidence and grace:

Calibrate your expectations.

"You don't see these people all year long oftentimes, so there's a degree of uncertainty that if we can anticipate it and level set our expectations, it helps us go into it, says Pryor. Have some strategies to call on in the moment too. “The first thing is naming it,” says Pryor. “When no one says anything, the tension actually gets thicker. But if somebody can playfully go, 'Oh, that was awkward,' or kind of own it or name it, it actually diffuses the tension, everyone can relax." You can also strategically use humor. "We can have talk tracks to playfully change the subject or exit the room, but we need to mentally prepare for them so that we can have tools at our fingertips in the moment when we need them."

Flip the script.

To help build self-awareness around the emotion, ask yourself a few questions, like what are the childhood stories and narratives I tell myself? Are you thinking of your awkward feelings as a state or a trait? A state = "I feel awkward right now" (and it's something that will pass, and I can handle) vs. a trait ("I'm so awkward all the time"), which feels more permanent, and less easy to work with, says Pryor.

“A lot of times when we experience awkward moments, we just want to remove ourselves from the situation. We don't want to think about it anymore. But there's actually a ton of value in data after that moment has eventually passed, to thinking about why did that feel so cringey or awkward or embarrassing to me? What does that represent?,” she says. Pryor uses a personal and relatable example to illustrate this point.

"I grew up in a South Asian household where my parents would often say an expression that means, 'What will other people think?' There was a lot of that constantly, so peel back the layers, understand what are the stories you're telling yourself." That awareness can help alleviate the negative self talk that happens post-awkward situation.

Play back a redemptive story.

Citing research from Professor Dan McAdams at Northwestern University, Pryor says we can tell ourselves contamination stories or redemptive ones. “You can't control your first thought, but you can control your second one," says Pryor. It's natural to think 'Well, that was awkward or that was embarrassing. And that's OK. "Our second thought, however, can be to continue to ruminate or turn it into an alternative," says Pryor. A contamination story is, "Oh my gosh, I can't believe that happened. I'm never going to speak up at the table again with these relatives," or "I'm never going to contribute to the conversation."

Or you can turn it into a positive, which is, "'Well, that didn't go how I hoped, but I'm proud of myself considering I don't see these folks often that I contributed to the conversation, learned a lesson from it. The next time, maybe I'll handle it differently, but I spoke up and I'm proud because I don't typically do so.' Can you look for the gifts in the garbage of that situation?," asks Pryor.

Finally, recognize the universality of awkward moments. We all feel them, and we can’t avoid them. But by naming it, diffusing it (with humor or just calling it out), and reality-checking our emotions and self-doubt vs. letting it dictate our actions can help us breeze through them with confidence and ease.

“Look for the evidence and the facts,” says Pryor. “You can also ask yourself, "What else is true?" For example, "I may feel awkward right now, but I'm also having this conversation and that's a huge step for me and worth being proud of."

How much are Eras Tour tickets normally?

While a variety of the resale tickets on larger platforms are in the thousands, there are plenty of fan-to-fan resales for under $1k! But the good news is Rolling Stone reports ticket prices have actually dropped in the last day and you can find some for under $700.

When is the Eras Tour over?

The Eras Tour ends on December 8, so if you're wondering "How many dates are left on the Eras tour?" — there are only three! This weekend, she'll be at the BC Place from December 6 through the 8.

When will Taylor Swift go on tour again?

Whoa there, the Eras Tour isn't even done yet! But as a Swiftie myself, I understand how sad it is when a tour comes to an end, and the anticipation around seeing Taylor onstage again. We don't have an update on future tours just yet, but thanks to the Eras Tour book, we do know there's something new around the corner. After all, Taylor ends with "See you in the next era."

And with her feature directorial debut, Reputation (Taylor's Version), Taylor Swift (Taylor's Version), and a potential twelfth album, it's time to buckle up and lock in Swifties! It looks like we're just getting started.

Taylor Swift's Eras Tour Dates For 2024

• Tokyo Dome (Tokyo, Japan); February 7-10
• MCG (Melbourne, Australia); February 16-18
• Accor Stadium (Sydney, Australia); February 23-26
• National Stadium, Singapore (Singapore); March 2-4; March 7-9
• Paris La Défense Arena (Paris, France); May 9-12
• Friends Arena (Stockholm, Sweden); May 17-19
• Estadio da Luz (Lisbon, Portugal); May 24-25
• Estadio Santiago Bernabéu (Madrid, Spain); May 29-30
• Groupama Stadium (Lyon, France); June 2-3
• BT Murrayfield Stadium (Edinburgh, UK); June 7-9
• Anfield Stadium (Liverpool, UK); June 13-15
• Principality Stadium (Cardiff, UK); June 18
• Wembley Stadium (London, UK); June 21-23
• Aviva Stadium (Dublin, Ireland); June 28-30
• Johan Cruijff Arena (Amsterdam, Netherlands); July 4-6
• Stadion Letzigrund Zürich (Zürich, Switzerland); July 9-10
• San Siro Stadium (Milan, Italy); July 13-14
• Veltins-Arena (Gelsenkirchen, Germany); July 17-19
• Volksparkstadion (Hamburg, Germany); July 23-24
• Olumpiastadion (Munich, Germany); July 27-28
• Pge Narodowy (Warsaw, Poland); August 1-3
• Ernst-Happel-Stadion (Vienna, Austria); August 8-10
• Wembley Stadium (London, UK); August 15-17; August 19-20
• Hard Rock Stadium (Miami, FL); October 18-20
• Caesars Superdome (New Orleans, LA); October 25-27
• Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis, IN); November 1-3
• BC Place (Vancouver, BC); December 6-8

Taylor Swift's Eras Tour Dates For 2023

• State Farm Stadium (Glendale, AZ); March 17 - 18
• Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas, NV); March 24 - 25
• AT&T Stadium, (Arlington, TX); March 31 - April 2
• Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, FL); April 13 - 15
• NRG Stadium (Houston, TX); April 21 - 23
• Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, GA); April 28 - 30
• Nissan Stadium (Nashville, TN); May 5 - 7
• Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, PA); May 12 - 14
• Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, MA); May 19 - 21
• MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ); May 26 - 28
• Soldier Field (Chicago, IL); June 2 - 4
• Ford Field (Detroit, MI); June 9 - 10
• Acrisure Stadium (Pittsburgh, PA); June 16 - 17
• U.S. Bank Stadium (Minneapolis, MN); June 23 - 24
• Paycor Stadium (Cincinnati, OH); June 30 - July 1
• GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, MI); July 7 - 8
• Empower Field at Mile High (Denver, CO); July 14 - 15
• Lumen Field (Seattle, WA); July 22 - 23
• Levi's Stadium (Santa Clara, CA); July 28 - 29
• Sofi Stadium (Los Angeles, CA); August 3 - 5; August 7 - 9
• Foro Sol (Mexico City, Mexico); August 24-27
• Estadio River Plate (Buenos Aires, Argentina); November 9-11
• Estádio Nilton Santos (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil); November 17-19
• Allianz Parque (So Paulo, Brazil); November 24-26

How long is a Taylor Swift concert?

Taylor Swift's portion of an Eras Tour concert is three hours long, but there are openers too! In total, you'll be in the venue for around five hours. For my concert day (the stadium is over an hour from my home), I started getting ready at 10am, and left around noon to accommodate public transportation, traffic, and lines. I was in my seat at exactly 6:30!

Is Taylor Swift having a concert in Miami?

Yes, the final leg of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour kicks off with her Miami shows on October 18! She'll be at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami from October 18 until October 20.

Taylor herself posted a video to Instagram with the caption, "Back in the office… 😎" in honor of the concert. We can't wait to see what tricks she has up her sleeve (maybe a Reputation (Taylor's Version)announcement?)

Who is opening Eras Tour 2024?

Sabrina Carpenter opened for Taylor Swift at the Australia shows in February and March 2024, then Paramore opened for the summer shows in Europe. Gracie Abrams is the fall opener in Canada and the final US dates!

How to get Taylor Swift tickets 2024?

There are a few different ways you can get Taylor Swift tickets in 2024! Your price point, the city you want to go to, and the opener you're hoping to see will determine which route you take. Keep reading for a few routes you can take.

Accounts For Last Minute Taylor Swift Tickets

Eras Tour Resell

This Twitter site is without out a doubt my favorite resell account. They've included guidelines to streamline your Taylor Swift concert ticket process and ensure no one gets scammed. They even push to make sure ADA (accessibility seating) is given to the people that need it. This has quickly become a fan favorite way to grab tickets! Eras Tour Resell will post the ticket info, including pricing, date/location, and the account that you can DM. They also make sure to let their followers know when the ticket has sold.

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour Concert Tickets Resale Group

This Facebook group will make sure your tickets are as close to face value as possible. And thanks to the questionnaire and profile requirements, you shouldn't have to worry about scammers.

Resell Websites

You can also check sites like Ticketmaster, Stub Hub, SeatGeek, and Vivid Seats for last-minute tickets — just make sure you double check the authenticity of the tickets before you cash out! (Unfortunately I am speaking from experience here 😬)