That old adage about not discussing religion,politics or sex at family gatherings makes a lot of sense.
I remember as a child the often ugly screaming and threatening words among family members invoved in "discussing"these sensitive subjects.
The fact that the liquor flowed freely didn't help matters either.
Usually by the end of the night, the service men and the Vietnam Veterans are upstairs and the hippies end up in the kitchen cooing over the tabooli that someone brought instead of something "tradtional". It is always fun though and family is family so it is all really just about getting together for the Holidays in the end. I happen to like Tabooli so it all works out.