The holidays feel magical until the tension creeps in. We open the door wide on both sides of the season: the deep, steady warmth of gratitude and the practical playbook that keeps family gatherings peaceful. From a year marked by divorce, homelessness, and a cancer diagnosis, Mikey shares how thankfulness can be more than a table ritual—it can be a mindset that helps you stand back up when life knocks you down.
We get honest about the pressure that turns Thanksgiving into a performance. Rather than chasing perfection, we design for connection: right-sized gatherings, intentional menus, and rituals that center presence over polish. You’ll hear real-world strategies for drama free holidays, including hosting a sober event when alcohol adds friction, choosing formats that fit your people (buffet, open house, staggered visits), and the underrated power of clear house rules. If certain relatives spark conflict, we map out kinder ways to separate combustible combos without forcing anyone to pick sides.
We also offer simple, repeatable tools that shift the tone. Try a gratitude circle with kids to build the habit early. Keep a three-line journal to retrain your attention toward what’s holding you up. Use direct, compassionate scripts—“I love having you here; when politics starts, tension rises. Can we keep it light today?”—to protec
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Episode Transcript
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Happy Thanksgiving, everyone,welcome to Great Day Radio's
Gratitude Unwrapped.
I'm DJ Mikey D and today we'rediving deep into the heart of
Thanksgiving.
You know it's that time of yearwhen the air gets crisp, the
(00:21):
leaves turn, and we're allreminded to pause and give
thanks, but let's be realsometimes.
Between the turkey, the travel,and the family dynamics, the
true meaning can get a littleburied under the gravy.
Before I begin this discussion,I would like to give a big shout
out to my kiddos, Sophia andRocco here in the Denver area,
and Mikey and Angelo in the BayArea.
(00:42):
Daddy loves you.
I am also grateful for the manypeople who have supported me in
this past year or more.
As those who are close to meknow, I have gone through some
challenges.
First with a sudden divorceannouncement last year, to a
brief homelessness because ofit, the separation from my
kiddos, then discovering I havecancer.
In that process there were alist of people that helped pick
(01:05):
me up in the darkest of thosedays I would also like to give
gratitude to the folks at themany veteran organizations that
also helped, and continue tohelp.
So to you all I am forevergrateful.
Okay, on to the show.
So what is Thanksgiving reallyabout?
At its core it's a day or aseason dedicated to gratitude.
Celebrating the bounty andblessings of the year.
(01:27):
Now whether you're in Canada orthe US, the origins might
differ, but that sentiment, it'suniversal.
It's about recognizing theabundance in our lives, the big
and the small, and yeah, inAmerica, we've got our
traditions, football, the Macy'sparade, that massive dinner with
turkey, mashed potatoes, andlet's not forget the pumpkin
pie.
I mean, come on, who doesn'tlove pumpkin pie?
(01:48):
But here's the thing, whilethose are absolutely things to
be thankful for, they're justthe surface.
Because gratitude, it goes somuch deeper.
It's not about how perfectlygolden your turkey is or whether
your table settings areInstagram worthy.
It's about that feeling, thatwarmth you get when you truly
stop and acknowledge the goodstuff, the people who've stood
by you, the challenges you'veovercome, the simple joy of a
(02:10):
shared laugh.
But let's talk about the otherside of the holiday, the stress.
Oh man, can it be overwhelming?
The cost of feeding a crowd, thepressure to host, the travel
chaos, and if life's alreadythrowing you curveballs,
Thanksgiving can feel like justanother item on the to do list,
and that's not what it's meantto be.
(02:30):
I've been there, stressing overthe menu, worrying if Aunt Carol
and Uncle Bob are gonna get intoit again.
It happens, but here's areminder, for me and for you,
the holiday shouldn't beburdensome.
If you're struggling to findthat joy, it's okay to take a
step back, center yourself,breathe.
Remember the why behind the day.
Thanksgiving doesn't have to bea big production.
(02:51):
Seriously.
It can be as simple as a quietmeal with your immediate family
or a few close friends, or hey,if you're the extra type, go all
out, invite the wholeneighborhood.
But the point is it's not aboutthe scale, it's about the
intention, setting aside thattime deliberately to be
grateful.
And how do we express thatgratitude?
Well it can be inward oroutward.
(03:12):
Some of us love the tradition ofgoing around the table, sharing
what we're thankful for.
It's a beautiful moment,especially when we include the
younger ones.
Teaching kids to articulatetheir gratitude that's powerful.
It plants a seed for a lifetimeof thankfulness, but maybe
public speaking isn't yourthing, and that's totally fine.
Gratitude doesn't need anaudience.
(03:33):
Keeping a gratitude journal, forexample, is such a personal
grounding practice.
Just a few lines each day aboutwhat went right, what made you
smile.
It shifts your focus, it rewiresyour brain to notice the good.
Or get creative.
Write a poem, paint, make aplaylist of songs that remind
you of your blessings.
Art is such a heartfelt way tosay thank you to the universe
(03:56):
without ever saying a word, andthen there's action showing your
gratitude by sharing yourresources.
Donating to a local food bank,volunteering your time or simply
being fully present with yourloved ones.
These acts of kindness theyripple out, they multiply the
gratitude.
So as we head into thisThanksgiving season, I encourage
you and myself to focus onwhat's right.
(04:18):
To celebrate the bounty, yes,but also the quiet moments, the
struggles that made us stronger,the love that surrounds us.
Gratitude isn't just for oneday, it's a mindset we can carry
all year long.
Whether your Thanksgiving is bigor small, loud or quiet,
traditional or totally unique,make it yours.
Make it meaningful, and aboveall, make it grateful.
(04:40):
Thanks for tuning in to GreatDay Radio's Gratitude Unwrapped.
I'm DJ Mikey D, reminding you tokeep the thanks in Thanksgiving,
not just on the table, but inyour heart.
Until next time, take care andbe well.
Stay locked in as we discusstips for creating drama to free
holidays right after thisspecial message.
(06:05):
Happy holidays, my amazingpeeps.
Welcome to Great Day Radio'sDrama Free Holidays.
I'm DJ Mikey D coming at youtoday with some real talk about
making your family gatheringsactually enjoyable this season.
Let's be real for a minute.
We all love the holidays intheory, right?
The food, the decorations, thetime off work.
But then there's the familygatherings.
(06:27):
And sometimes those can feelmore like a minefield than a
celebration.
I've been there, you've beenthere.
That moment when Uncle Bobstarts talking politics or
cousin Sarah shows up threesheets to the wind, the holiday
spirit just evaporates.
Poof, gone.
But here's the thing, it doesn'thave to be that way.
Creating a drama free holiday istotally possible, and it's worth
(06:49):
the effort for everyone whogenuinely wants to connect and
enjoy quality time together.
Now I know confronting difficultissues feels tough, like really
tough, but trust me, addressingthese things head on can make a
massive difference in yourholiday experience.
So let's break down somepractical strategies.
First up, and this is a big one,if addiction issues have the
(07:12):
potential to ruin yourgathering, consider creating a
drug and alcohol to free event.
I know, I know, for somefamilies that sounds radical.
But think about it, removing thetemptations and making
modifications that supportsobriety helps everyone.
If someone you love struggleswith making good choices, you're
helping make the right choiceeasier by hosting a clean and
sober event.
(07:32):
And before you say, But the winewith dinner or the eggnog
tradition, there are so manyamazing nonalcoholic options
now, fancy mocktails, alcoholfree beers and wines that
actually taste good, you canstill have the festive drinks
without the drama.
Okay, strategy number two,sometimes you've just got to be
honest about the people in yourlife.
(07:53):
Trying to fit square pegs intoround holes never works, right?
Some people simply can't playwell with others.
It might be in everyone's bestinterest to keep certain people
away from each other.
I'm not saying you need tochoose sides or create permanent
divisions, but maybe Aunt Caroland your sister just shouldn't
be at the same dinner.
They can come at different timesor you can have separate
(08:15):
gatherings.
Also think about what kind offunction you're having.
A formal sit down dinner mightcreate more tension than a
casual open house.
Depending on who's coming, youmight want to adjust the
activities, the timing, even theguest list itself.
Now here's the strategy thatpeople struggle with the most
being direct about behavior.
One of the biggest reasonsfamilies experience drama is the
(08:36):
unwillingness to addresssituations head on.
We all want to avoid conflict.
We hope people will just figureit out, but let's be honest,
that generally doesn't work.
People often don't realize theimpact they're having on others.
Being upfront and honest withpeople about how their behavior
affects others can help themmodify it, or excuse themselves
from the situation if they needto.
(08:58):
I know, confrontation is scary,but think about it this way,
you're not being mean, you'recreating boundaries that protect
everyone's peace.
You could say something like,Hey, I love having you here, but
when you bring up politics itcreates tension that makes it
hard for everyone to relax.
Could we agree to keep thingslight today?
It can be really hard toconfront negative behavior, but
(09:19):
it makes the holiday better forthe majority of people, and
honestly, most reasonable peoplewill appreciate the guidance.
Here's what I want you toremember.
Everyone wants a happy holidayseason filled with friends and
family.
But sometimes people, oftenwithout meaning to, make it
difficult.
Instead of ignoring problematicbehavior or just hoping it goes
(09:40):
away, try implementing one ofthese strategies.
Create that sober environment ifneeded, be strategic about who's
invited when, have thosedifficult conversations
beforehand.
These approaches create a dramafree holiday that benefits
everyone, even the people whowere causing the issues in the
first place.
Because let's be real, mostpeople don't want to be the
(10:02):
problem.
They just need some guidance andboundaries.
Your holiday gatherings shouldbe about connection, laughter,
and making memories.
Not walking on eggshells ordealing with unnecessary drama.
You deserve peaceful holidaysand with a little planning and
courage you can absolutely havethem.
Thanks for tuning in to GreatDay Radio's drama free holidays,
(10:22):
wishing you all the peaceful,joyful gatherings you deserve
this season.
Take care of yourselves and eachother.
Peace out.
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