Most Americans find political conversations at the Thanksgiving table to be entertaining and informative — despite experts saying it should be avoided, according to a Scripps News/Talker Research poll.
Only 10% of Americans said they find political talk at the table to be inappropriate, while 17% find it uncomfortable and 15% found it to be annoying or awkward. The poll found that 33% of Americans consider political talk during the holiday to be respectful, and 27% find it passionate.
Most of the respondents said they tend to strongly agree with the political views of their family members and friends at Thanksgiving, while only 5% said they strongly disagree.
Despite the more positive outlook on discussing politics over turkey and gravy, most Americans — 26% — said it is very unlikely that the topic will come up during the holiday, while 14% said it is very likely to happen.
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The same poll found that the majority of Americans who are celebrating Thanksgiving are looking forward to the turkey the most, while 38% are salivating over the stuffing. Only 11% will be excited for cranberry sauce.
For most Americans, the best part of Thanksgiving is spending time with their families — followed closely by the eating. Watching sports is the third most favorite activity for the holidays, according to the poll.
However, 37% of Americans said they will need one or two moments alone during the holiday chaos, whether that means hiding out in a bedroom or going for a walk.
A small percentage, 4%, is looking forward to starting their Thanksgiving day with a turkey trot, the poll said.
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Many Americans believe they will be spending about the same amount for Thanksgiving this year, while 28% believe it may be a little more expensive compared to last year. The poll found a similar response for Black Friday and Cyber Monday spending.
The respondents said it is somewhat likely that they will be shopping the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals this year. About 23% said it is unlikely that they will take advantage of the sales.
The poll had about an equal share of respondents who identify as Democratic, Republican or Independent, as well as a nearly equal amount of men and women participants. Most of the 1,000 respondents live in the South, with about 20% each living in other regions across the U.S. A variety of age groups were represented.
