Open if you want everyone involved in Thanksgiving conversations.

All generations included. No politics necessary.

I got you a present. It’s a list of questions.

I hope it will help your Thanksgiving conversation stay positive and hopeful, especially — but not only — if you’re worried about an uncle or a cousin derailing the day with polarizing political opinions and yelling conversations that go nowhere and end up isolating people instead of bringing everyone together.

I hope these questions inspire conversation and your own questions and keep your company thinking and wondering and sharing.

BONUS GIFT for paid subscribers — because I really love you and am so unbelievably grateful for your support and the giant HUG + THUMBS UP that is your money — I am including some ways to introduce and scaffold these questions (so that all ages can participate!) and a PDF of all of them that you can easily print (and cut into question strips) if you want to.

As much as I love a good, creative question, I have a very hard time being put on the spot and have never been a fan of “favorite” questions. I also tend to panic with the “What are you thankful for?” questions, where you have one chance to say something as the question travels around the table. I start sweating and wondering if I even know myself well enough to pick a favorite anything or if I am forgetting the most obvious thing to be grateful for — or, if I’m thinking of what I really love, or what I think other people think I should love? So, these are the kinds of questions that I’d rather answer. If you and yours prefer a different flavor, delete what you don’t want and add what you need!

The Questions

Bookish Questions/Conversation Starters

1. Which literary characters would be the most fun to have at our Thanksgiving table?

2. How would [character] set their Thanksgiving table?

3. Which literary characters would add the most drama/humor/knowledge/etc. to our Thanksgiving table?

4. Which literary characters would be the most fun to cook with?

5. Which literary characters would be the least fun to cook with?

6. Which literary characters would order takeout and pretend they cooked it themselves?

7. In which literary home would you love to spend Thanksgiving?

8. Which literary characters (or family) would have the conversations you’d most like to join?

9. Which literary character would you like to invite to our Thanksgiving? (Not necessarily who would be the most fun! Maybe think about who would appreciate an invite, who feels lonely, or who might not have anywhere to go?)

10. Which literary setting has the most Thanksgiving-y vibes?

11. Which books are you grateful to have had in your life this year?

12. Did you read any books this year that made you grateful to have your life and not someone else’s?

13. Describe your favorite kind of book/story, and then ask if anyone has any recommendations for you.

Non-Book Questions/Conversation Starters

1. What makes someone a good baker vs a good cook? What are the personality traits each might have? Where do you fit in?

2. If you were one of the dishes on the table right now, which would you like to be?

3. What makes a conversation interesting?

4. What makes you feel thankful?

5. How often do you consider what you’re grateful for?

6. Can you be grateful and annoyed at the same time?

7. How do you express your gratitude?

8. What’s the nicest way someone has let you know they were thankful for something you did for them?

9. How would you like to be better at saying “thank you”?

10. Which Thanksgiving traditions do you hope live on forever?

11. What makes a tradition become a tradition?

Making It Happen: Introduce and Scaffold

First of all, remember that — like all Book Party suggestions — these questions are meant to be low-pressure food-for-thought.

But also: if you’re thinking, “Oh, yes! Cool! But… how do I get this started without it being weird?” or “OK, but what if I ask these questions and the kids in my crew look at me with blank faces?” — you are both not alone and also not in a dead-end situation.

Let’s dig in.

How one question went with my four-year-old:

Me: “If we were going to invite one book character to our Thanksgiving, who would it be?”

Him: “Why are you asking me this question?”

Me: “Because it’s fun to think about. Do you think it’s fun to think about?”

Him: “Yes!”