10 Holiday Conversation Starters
The holidays are a time loaded with complicated emotions, relational dynamics, and memories. Despite this, it’s also a time that tends to entail lots of joy (real or fake), traditions, gifts, and more. You may be at a place in your life where you want to bring a bit more meaning, reflection, and connection into your conversations with family and friends during the holidays. If so, below are ten questions you can use to engage people in conversations that will help you get to know each other better, and leave feeling connected and energized.
Do you have a favorite holiday tradition? What’s special to you about it?
What is one thing you would change about the holidays - either in your own life or in the world - if you could?
What is a holiday from a culture other than your own that you admire or want to learn more about?
If you could choose a non-material gift to receive, what would it be and why?
Are the holidays something you look forward to or are meaningful to you? Why or why not?
What holiday memory has stuck with you the most?
Smells and sounds are two of our senses that bring back the most memories - are there any smells or sounds you encounter during the holidays that bring you back to a particular memory or stage of life? What feelings does that bring up for you?
What’s different about your life from last holiday season? What changes are you grateful for and which ones are challenging?
Which person or people have played the biggest roles in your holiday experiences?
What does holiday joy look like to you? Has it changed through different stages of your life?