The birthday destroyer: how to avoid the vaccination topic

In the past, it was still fun to chat with a (un)known person at birthday parties, now it feels like you're playing the floor is lava. It's just waiting for things to go wrong, especially if your conversation partner disagrees with your vaccination views. That's why I advocate for a boycott of this conversation topic during parties, because honestly: the vaccination topic is the party pooper of everything that's fun.

The RIVM estimates that 83.2 percent of those aged 18 and over are fully vaccinated. Still a significant number, so the chance is high that you'll end up in a conversation about it. It has already torn apart entire families, so the vaccination topic is certainly capable of ruining a birthday or party. Which is such a shame. Why would you let the issue of whether or not to vaccinate stand between you and someone else? I'm not getting into the question of whether you should or shouldn't take a vaccine, but I think it's sometimes better to keep the discussion indoors.

Talking about vaccines is the destroyer of a pleasant evening, here are the creative ways to prevent it. You’re welcome.

1) Say you're going to smoke a cigarette when someone brings up the topic, even if you don't smoke. Saying you're going to smoke is the most accepted way to interrupt a conversation, and when you come back, you just start talking about something else.

2) Needing to pee. God, you suddenly have to go. In fact, you should have gone hours ago, and now you really can't wait any longer.

3) Put it as a joke on the invite. Do’s? Dancing and drinking. Don’ts. Asking about someone's vaccination status. Anyone who can't laugh about this you definitely don't want at your party.

4) Let everyone who starts talking about vaccination, the corona pass, or measures give a round as punishment. Works like a charm when you're in a restaurant or bar.

5) Finally: tell with a big smile that you've stopped talking about vaccination because you gain nothing from it. In exchange for cutting it off, offer at least ten topics that you would love to chat about for an entire evening. For example: the worst outing with potential in-laws (don't do this with that particular family), original ways to save on your energy bill (body heat), and that one time you went cockroach hunting in the middle of the night in your birthday suit in a remote place (always works).

So, can we continue having fun together.