Whether you’re meeting someone new or reconnecting with relatives or old friends, it’s hard to avoid that “awkward pause” in conversations. It’s not that you don’t have anything to say… it’s just hard to come up with something in the moment!

That’s why we recommend putting a few of these conversation starters in your back pocket before you head out to the gathering. Of course, chances are good the conversation will flow – but why not be prepared just in case?

We’ve split these 22 interesting questions into 4 main sections, each suitable for a different mood or setting. Let’s start with something fun!

1. Wanna get to know someone? Try some light-hearted questions!

Remember, holiday gatherings should be fun and relaxed – no need to interrogate your new brother-in-law (too hard). Here are some questions that keep things light and fun, while still revealing a bit more about yourselves:

– If you could have any mythical creature as a pet, what would it be?
– Which Game of Thrones/Harry Potter/Star Wars character would you be?
– If cats ruled the world, what would they change first?
– If you could choose any period of history to visit, when and where would you go?
– Which famous deceased person would you go out drinking with?
– You can choose one superpower to have for the rest of your life. What is it?
– Have you ever had an idea that someone else eventually brought to life? What was it?

2. Think a bit of friendly debate might spice things up? Use these opinion-grabbing questions (at your own risk)!

It’s best to avoid discussing politics, religion or money – unless you really want to heat things up. Here are some less-fiery ideas that still get the debate going:

– Why do you think [insert celebrity here] is so popular?
– If they knew how to play football, who would win: cats or dogs?
– If you ran for president, how would you run your campaign?
– What do you think about the holidays? Do you love the vibe or think it’s over the top?
– What’s the worst/best Christmas movie of all time?

3. Why not keep it on topic and go with these holiday-themed conversation starters?

Pretty much everyone should be able to give an answer to these:

– What’s the best gift you’ve ever given (or received)?
– What was your holiday shopping strategy this year?
– If you could ban one Christmas song from ever being played again, which would you choose?
– Do you have a New Year’s Resolution yet? What is it?
– What was the most innovative Christmas tree or light setup you saw this year?

4. Finally, some options for those who want to go a bit deeper – yet still stay on the safe side (this is the holidays, after all).

We saved the most advanced topics for last. These are great when you’ve got a long evening ahead:

– If you could ask [the president/a celebrity/a famous person from history] any question, what would it be?
– What is femininity/masculinity? How do we know?
– Is is wrong to eat cats and dogs, even though other cultures do it? Why or why not?
– Do you believe reincarnation is possible?
– How do you feel about social media?

How about you – what are your go-to conversation starters during the holidays? Let us know in the comments below!