The holidays are a strange and wonderful thing. One minute you’re navigating travel with a bag full of gifts and mild anxiety, and the next you’re sitting at a kitchen table listening to an uncle tell a story he’s definitely told before—but this time, somehow, it hits differently.
Do you have any characters in your family? I do. You know, the one who solicits a good chuckle and a throw away statement of “you know how they are”.
Whether your family is calm, chaotic, or an award-worthy mix of both, holiday gatherings offer something invaluable for anyone who wants to become a better storyteller or public speaker: material. Rich, messy, funny, heartfelt material.
Here’s how visiting family during the holidays can turn into your most surprising source of great stories—and what those stories can teach you about speaking well in front of others.
1. Holidays Reveal the Characters in Your Life
Every good story has characters—and no one supplies them like family does.
There’s the cousin who attempts a new career path every year, the aunt who can turn any situation into a mystery novel, the grandparent who delivers wisdom in one-line mic drops, and the sibling who communicates exclusively through sarcasm (me).
Family interactions are vivid, unscripted, and full of personality. When you’re crafting a speech, these characters become your examples, metaphors, or comedic relief. They help your audience see your point through real-world, relatable people.
Public speaking tip:
Introduce characters with one or two strong details. Specificity makes stories stick.
2. Small Moments Make Big Stories
Holiday visits are packed with minor mishaps and small wins that turn into memorable moments. A burnt pie, a board-game rivalry, a heartfelt conversation during a walk—these experiences are storytelling fuel.
In public speaking, the most compelling stories are often not the dramatic ones but the small, human moments. They’re universal. They’re honest. They make audiences lean in.
Public speaking tip:
Start with a small moment, then zoom out. Show the audience why it mattered.
3. Family Gatherings Teach You Timing (Willingly or Not)
If you’ve ever attempted to tell a story at the dinner table while competing with clanking dishes, side conversations, and the dog begging under the table, you already know something about pacing and timing.
Families teach you when to pause, when to punch up a line, and when to let a moment breathe. They also train you to read your audience—because if your own mother gives you the “get to the point” look, you learn efficiency fast.
Public speaking tip:
Pay attention to reactions. Adjust your delivery in real time.
4. Emotional Range Happens Naturally
Holidays bring out a spectrum of emotions: joy, nostalgia, hilarity, mild chaos, and sometimes bittersweet reflection. That emotional range makes for powerful storytelling. Speakers who can move gracefully between humor and heart create more memorable talks.
Families remind us that life isn’t one tone—it’s a mix. Bringing that mix into your speaking makes you more authentic and relatable.
Public speaking tip:
Don’t be afraid to blend humor with sincerity. Audiences love both.
5. There’s Always a Lesson, If You’re Paying Attention
Maybe you learn patience while waiting three hours for someone to “get ready.”
Maybe you learn empathy from checking in on a relative you haven’t seen in years.
Maybe you learn humility when you lose at a game you were sure you’d dominate.
These moments give you the raw ingredients for stories that land with purpose. A speech filled only with anecdotes is entertainment—but a story with a lesson is a message.
Public speaking tip:
End stories with a “why it matters.” Always connect the moment to the message.
6. Repetition Makes You Better
Let’s be honest: you will probably tell the same holiday story multiple times—to friends, coworkers, or anyone who asks how your break went. That’s not a bad thing. Repetition is practice. Each retelling sharpens the structure, the punchlines, and the point.
By the time you bring the story to a stage or presentation, it’s polished.
Public speaking tip:
Practice stories out loud. Every retelling is a rehearsal.
Conclusion: Your Family Is Basically a Story Lab
Visiting family over the holidays can be many things—comforting, chaotic, funny, revealing. But for anyone who wants to be a better communicator, those visits are also a treasure chest of material and life lessons.
So next time you gather around the table, pay attention. Listen. Observe. Laugh. Reflect. Because in between the meals and memories, you’ll find stories worth telling—and wisdom worth sharing.
And who knows? That burnt pie or awkward moment might just become the opening line of your next great speech.
Jessica Sloane Speaks 
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