Soft light from a red lantern fills the dining room with a warm ambiance, as family you haven’t seen for a year reunite around the table for sumptuous holiday dinner, clinking glasses, laughing and having a great time together exchanging small talk, compliments, best wishes and red envelopes.

At least, that’s how you’d like the holidays to be.

That image of an ideal holiday family gathering often doesn’t mesh with reality, where sometimes small talk can add unwelcome tension to the table on an otherwise festive occasion. In this video, the staff at China Daily website shares their experiences during family gatherings and summarizes a list of “safe” topics to help you navigate holiday conversations.