"Help me get along with family"

We all cherish Thanksgiving as a time to celebrate being together, but it can also be a bit, well, tense. Here, easy ways to defuse drama and grow closer

- KRISTINA MASTROCOLA

Set the stage

Picture positivity

It may sound simple, but just visualizing what you want out of Thanksgiving can help you pinpoint concrete ways to achieve it, says clinical psychologist Susan Heitler, Ph.D. “If you picture laughter, for example, think about how you might help spark it,” she encourages. Warmth and smiles are especially important at entrances and exits to set the tone and leave people feeling positive, she notes. For example, you might greet guests with a hug or ask them to jot down what they’re grateful for on a note card to share later at dinner. “All too often, we focus on what we dread about the holidays, but this imagery gives you something to look forward to.”

Foil ‘family fighters’