Kentucky Family Keeps the Peace With Interesting Thanksgiving Rules

Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful for all of the things we are blessed with in life. Delicious food, a roof over our heads, healthy and happy loved ones. It's a special gathering of family filled with joy and kindness.

Well, not always. I know some folks who downright dislike Thanksgiving. It means being with relatives who are not pleasant to be around for one reason or another. Personalities clash over dramatic discussions had at the dinner table while everyone is just trying to enjoy their sweet potatoes and basted bird before it dries out.

Once upon a time, this may have described the Hunt Family of Owensboro. However, after some trial and error, Pam Hunt has implemented some family rules to keep the peace for an enjoyable Turkey Day. Certain controversial topics are outlawed and everyone must sign and submit an agreement along with their RSVP to the Thanksgiving invitation.

Her daughter, Emma Thompson shared with me what Thanksgiving used to be like. "We love each other so much, but we are all very much opinionated and hard-headed. Some of us take it too far at times."

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The list of off-the-table topics isn't really that long and includes the two big ones that tend to be issues for a lot of families. Comments about politics and religion are not allowed to avoid disagreements among folks of various beliefs. The other two subjects banned are a little...unique to the Hunts. "One Christmas we had an argument about cow udders. We aren’t allowed to talk about that anymore." Emma said. Chats about Marvel/DC/Disney are also prohibited. "It can get heated when we start talking about our favorite characters."

Despite past kerfuffles, the Hunts love celebrating holidays together. For Thanksgiving, they even dress up as pilgrims which I think is totally wholesome and hilarious. Look how adorable they are!

They just seem like such a fun family, and now that they aren't allowed to talk about subjects that "may cause anyone to feel weird." I would imagine their gatherings are lovely and create special memories.

Like the year the Hunt siblings coordinated the dinner scene from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Emma said, " I did Grace, and then started to stand up and put my hand over my heart and recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Soon after one by one the rest of the family chimed in." So hilarious!

The number one rule of the Hunt Family Thanksgiving is kind of unspoken, and it's one that all of us who are still lucky enough to have our mamas with us understand without having to sign any kind of agreement. "At all times though my Mama is the boss and we have to appease her," Emma said. Because if Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy and all Mamas want is for their families to be together, smiling, laughing, and not arguing about cow udders.