Win Arguments with Difficult Relatives

If you expect to be the lone environmentalist at the dinner table this festive season-and you're dreading the jabbing arguments that will undoubtedly fly your way as you poke at your mushy peas and mashed potatoes-practice cracking the tougher nuts on your family tree with Sierra Club's holiday survival guide.

Learn how to stand your ground, without losing your cool, by wrangling these familial (and familiar) surrogates: curmudgeonly Uncle Burt, sweet but clueless Aunt Mim, know-it-all (but hopelessly ill-informed) Cousin Mervin, and radical activist Sis. There's a sliver of a chance they might even learn to see it your way. ::Sierra Club

Difficulty level: Moderate