What Not to Say During Reunions

        When December holidays come ticking in, Christmas and New Year, reunions is one of the many parties that you might need to include in your December calender. High School reunions and clan reunions are two of some of the most common types of reunions in the Philippines. While it should be the best time to socialize, hang out, and fill in those missed years of absence with laughter, you may end up sulking during the party and go home doleful; thanks to somebody's tactlessness. Hence, to make sure that you don't hurt somebody's feelings, check out this list of statements and questions that should NOT be uttered during reunions.

1. Are you sure you only have one kid? You look like you're a mother of a dozen kids. - The body is a weighty issue, especially to women. One way of saying you look fat without hurting somebody's feelings is to say you look awesome and quite voluptuous these days.

2. You look like a battered spouse. - If there is one thing that you should never try to crack on a once a year gathering, it would have to be your opinion on how your relative or colleague or classmate horribly looks. The statement above is another way of saying you look aged, horrible, and ugly. After all, no battered spouse looks gorgeous and fresh, right? A lot of things have had happened since you departed in the year blah after your high school graduation or few years back during your last clan gathering, and one of those things might be divorce, death, and trouble with kids. Blurting such statement will make her feel terrible. You can say you look tired or say nothing at all about the person's appearance instead. A simple 'It's great to see you' greeting is a must.

3. I heard your kids are in jail. - Unless you are the person's very close relative or a close friend, uttering this statement needs to be made with subtlety. A lot of people don't like to talk on issues with their children during gatherings.

4. You're still you. - It depends on what you are referring to this statement. If it's a compliment, there's no problem with it. However, if it's a personality or an ugly feature that even the concerned person hates about, it would be better if you zip your mouth.

5. Is it true that you filed for bankruptcy? - Of all the things that you can do on reunions, never clarify any issue where the hub is somebody's financial distress. You can start a conversation with 'How's your business?', and wait for the other person to open up.

6. So, who did you end up with? - It can be a sensitive topic when asked to a girl whose labeled for her mischievousness and naughtiness in high school. Be careful, especially when she's with her husband. On the one hand, boys don't seem to mind this topic. 

           There are still a lot of questions and remarks that need not be uttered during annual gatherings, and each remark might be received in various ways, depending on a person's level of sensitivity. While others can shrug these topics off their shoulders, some people might not, and might actually make them feel bad in a celebration where everyone's supposed to be glee. So before you ask a sensitive question, think about it first. What if you were in that person's shoes and asked of the same question. How would you feel? 

           May our Christmases and New Years be as prosperous, peaceful, and joyful!