Financial Topics Safe for This Year’s Christmas Dinner

Talking about money over a Christmas ham may be less stressful than getting into politics or social issues this year. Here are some possibilities to get the ball rolling.

A view from above of a festive Christmas dinner table.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Coronavirus? Politics? Whether or not your Uncle Joe will ever get a job?

There are always some topics of conversation you would rather avoid at the family dinner table this Christmas, and the past two years have thrown some doozies into the mix. This may be your first family holiday after an extended period of social distancing, so there could be some interesting developments. Holiday gatherings and family dynamics can be movie worthy, from comedies to downright horror shows. So, it might be helpful to do a little planning in advance to help keep the conversations positive and the mood festive.

Financial topics can be on the touchy side of some family dynamics, but this year there are many financial subjects you can amiably navigate. And some of these neutral zone areas might be just the right distraction from comments about Aunt Dotty’s third helping of fruitcake.

This article was written by and presents the views of our contributing adviser, not the Kiplinger editorial staff. You can check adviser records with the SEC or with FINRA.

Salene Hitchcock-Gear, President of Prudential Individual Life Insurance
President of Prudential Individual Life Insurance, Prudential Financial

Salene Hitchcock-Gear (opens in new tab) is president of Prudential Individual Life Insurance. She represents Prudential as a director on the Women Presidents’ Organization Advisory Board and also serves on the board of trustees of the American College of Financial Services. In addition, Hitchcock-Gear has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, a Juris Doctor degree from New York University School of Law, as well as FINRA Series 7 and 24 securities licenses. She is a member of the New York State Bar Association.