So after the political blog failed to get any responses, here's a new direction.

I've decided that the key to not fighting with my family this Thanksgiving is to be my work self with my family. People seem to like me at work. I just have to be my witty, charming, professional-but-not-too-professional self. I do it for 8 hours a day at work, so why can't I do it for eight hours with my family. Maybe the work me has become the real me and the me that I revert to around family has become just a ghost of who I used to be. I try to fall back into that roll when I'm around them, but it doesn't work and it all comes out awkward. My work self, is just a mask that I put on for 8 hours to avoid open conflict. That's perfect! All I have to do is be the work me today and my family will like me more. It all seems so clear now, when it should be feeling foggy, ha ha ha.