Source: martinedoucet / Getty

 

UPDATED: 9:15 a.m. Nov. 25, 2021 —

No matter what, the holidays are a time for family. With the COVID-19 pandemic slowing and vaccines becoming a way of life, this feels like the first time in a while we can actually enjoy our families on Thanksgiving. With Black families comes opinionated relatives feeling free to express themselves on any given topic regardless of anyone’s feelings. Good-natured ribbing can quickly devolve into a vicious war of words.

That Thanksgiving,  ritual of family members roasting more than the turkey will be back better than ever. Especially when it comes to that nosey auntie who might sip on a little too much Hennessy to effectively police what comes out of her mouth. But that phenomenon is far from restricted to aunties, as uncles, cousins, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, grandparents, play cousins and basically everybody under a single extended family tree tends to get involved with the slick talk thinly veiled as familial advice.

What comes next is the inevitable clapback, defined in part by Urban Dictionary as, “basically a comeback, most likely pumped with attitude, sass and or shade.” The precious online resource provided an example: “he called her ratchet! you should have heard the clapback oh jesus.”

If it’s still unclear what exactly that means, do yourself a favor and scroll down to find dozens of examples of Thanksgiving Clapbacks that you might want to prepare yourself for if you find yourself in a similar situation as described above. Or perhaps you’ll be on the receiving end of the clapback-inducing barbs. If so, you’ll still find all the verbal ammunition you need to adequately defend yourself while sipping your tea and trying to move on to the next topic.

In the meantime, keep reading to find the absolute best of 

Thanksgiving Clapbacks. Thank us later.

1.

Aunt: Baby, where your husband?

Me: Missing like your teeth #ThanksgivingClapBack pic.twitter.com/LrFEejvAmi

— Tracie NotStacie (@divatia20) November 18, 2017

Source:false

2.

I purposely waited over 3 weeks to respond to this hateful Trump supporter. Hope she enjoys her Thanksgiving dinner! #ThanksgivingClapBack pic.twitter.com/S4lVFeIiQr

— Justino Mora #FreeTheChildren (@JustinoMora1) November 24, 2017

Source:false

3.


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4.

#ThanksgivingClapback

Uncle: damn you finally growing some facial hair i see.

Me: I see your wife is too. congratulations. pic.twitter.com/H8Ee6YZMno

— $t3p!!en (@StevoYoung2) November 22, 2017

Source:false

5.

Uncle: I heard you’re failing your classes

Me: Well I heard you’re failing to pay child support #ThanksgivingClapback pic.twitter.com/bBhHlVnBy9

— ber clee (@bercleyp) November 23, 2017

Source:false

6.

#thanksgivingclapback
Aunt: I can’t believe you let ur son wear a dress.
Mom: and yet SHE is better looking than you. 😉
Me: pic.twitter.com/ZEdSwvPF46

— Moonlight’s Song (@midnightsmelodi) November 19, 2017

Source:false

7.

Uncle: “i see you stayed off that phone long enough to speak”
Me : “and i see you stayed out of jail long enough to eat with the family”#ThanksgivingClapback pic.twitter.com/TUI4PWyhlj

— Lul najee da goat (@Brightskinn_) November 23, 2017

Source:false

8.

Aunt: why you always upset? Fix your face

Me: how’s about you fix your marriage#ThanksgivingClapback #ThanksgivingClapbacks pic.twitter.com/W3C5ZT9lfl

— Cereza (@cereza_stan) November 23, 2017

Source:false

9.


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10.

uncle : “i heard you failed 2 classes”
me : “i heard your daughter is also your niece”#ThanksgivingClapback #ThanksgivingWithBlackFamilies pic.twitter.com/6cczzzegOs

— ♡ (@nanipoooh) November 23, 2017

Source:false

11.


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12.

Uncle: eating while on your phone is a bad habit
Me: smoking 5 packs is a bad habit#ThanksgivingClapback pic.twitter.com/1ywWWrykHh

— sal (@salihxh) November 24, 2017

Source:false

13.

Aunt: that’s a lot of gravy you’ve got there
Me: that’s a lot of kids youve got there #ThanksgivingClapback pic.twitter.com/xulbw2JkoQ

— Lauren Lakin (@Thehoboquueen) November 24, 2017

Source:false

14.

Tia: “Isn’t being gay a sin?”
Me: “Didn’t you have a baby before getting married… from a different father?” #ThanksgivingClapback pic.twitter.com/JZK03Pw2gZ

— Osiel (Taylor’s Version) (@oosielito) November 24, 2017

Source:false

15.

Cousin: Damn,You still in Highschool?

Me: Damn, you still didn’t finish Highschool?#ThanksgivingClapback pic.twitter.com/W44fhhfH3r

— Ky (@princekyyy) November 23, 2017

Source:false

16.

aunt : “ your natural hair looking dry”
me : “ just like your mac ‘n’ cheese”#ThanksgivingClapback pic.twitter.com/COokUMpiNK

— izzy (@IsabellaBekk) November 24, 2017

Source:false

17.

Aunt: you need to stay away from them little boys
Me: And so should your husband.#ThanksgivingClapback pic.twitter.com/9LEPPjj4Qd

— 𝗡𝟴␈ (@alwaysxnate) November 23, 2017

Source:false

18.

Auntie: I always knew you were gay!
Me: You’re gaydar works that good but you couldn’t catch your husband?#ThanksgivingClapback #HappyThankgiving pic.twitter.com/YbcWJRc8f7

— 𝒱𝒜𝒩𝒜𝒯ℐ (@MissVanati) November 24, 2017

Source:false

19.

Family Member: No sports? Theater seems useless. How does acting help you?
Me: I’m acting like I want to talk to you right now.#ThanksgivingClapback pic.twitter.com/nrhr9tgq4E

— jadyn (@cocasister) November 23, 2017

Source:false

20.


Source:false

21.

Friend- What happened to that girl you were talkin to?

Me- Same thing that happened to your dad, gone.#ThanksgivingClapback#ThanksgivingClapbacks pic.twitter.com/HyfIxLIJUg

— DANIEL 今 (@DLD_XV) November 23, 2017

Source:false

22.

Cousin: damn your food disappeared already!?
Me: just like your baby daddy #ThanksgivingClapback pic.twitter.com/6bCUE2RdhF

— Isabella Hernandez (@XSquishyCorgiX) November 24, 2017

Source:false

23.

“I see you still haven’t found a job”

“I see you still haven’t found any of the fathers of your 3 kids” #ThanksgivingClapback pic.twitter.com/TXH5qbAzjb

— AJ (@producedby_aj) November 24, 2017

Source:false

24.

#ThanksgivingClapback

Aunt: La Verne? Where’s that?

Me: Your degree? Where’s that? pic.twitter.com/iM7jfZdMeu

— ULV Comms Department (@ULVComms) November 24, 2017

Source:false

25.


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26.

*As I’m Leaving To Throw The Ultimate Thanksgiving Block Party*
Auntie: So When’re You Going To Stop Partying, And Settle Down?
Me: When’re You Going To Tell Your Husband You’re Cheating On Him?
Boom!!! Last Clapback Of The Night!!!! #ThanksgivingClapback #HappyThankgiving pic.twitter.com/h1NoJ59AaE

— Tuck Beck (@RealTuckBeck) November 24, 2017

Source:false

27.

Uncle: “ you still didn’t do that SAT and the ACT?”
Me: “ you still didn’t pay for your suspended license? #ThanksgivingClapback pic.twitter.com/YdADOHolbl

— Ken (@itsken111) November 24, 2017

Source:false

28.


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29.

Lemme just drop a few of those #ThanksgivingClapback screenshots pic.twitter.com/9Zezniq8ac

— Khutso Mashita (@TheeRealPeace) November 24, 2017

Source:false

30.

grandma: she’s getting up there (talking about getting old)
tanner: well so are you #ThanksgivingClapback pic.twitter.com/TOcQWmfCfe

— BOLBI (@maddyraeeee13) November 24, 2017

Source:false

31.

“Hey your Red Sox got smacked by the Astros in the playoffs.”

“Hey your Cowboys have won 2 playoff games in the past 20 years.”#ThanksgivingClapback pic.twitter.com/E9a4vuzgRA

— The MONDOlorian (@mondoliz5) November 24, 2017

Source:false

32.

Aunt: “You still living with your parents?”

Me: “You still living off those welfare checks?”#ThanksgivingClapback pic.twitter.com/a6J8MSrDhm

— $$$ (@KhoriRab) November 24, 2017

Source:false

33.


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34.


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35.

Cousin: you’re 18, you’re too young to know what love is
Me: you’re 25 you’re too young to be engaged to ya 3rd husband#thanksgivingclapback pic.twitter.com/phEh2Vr2yl

— spooky kiwi (@kkkiiieeerrrra) November 24, 2017

Source:false

36.

Deeply religious aunt who had just prayed a 5-hour prayer: Go fix a plate. You gotta try it all. You can’t just pick and choose what you want.

My cousin (whispering): You mean like you do with the Bible, daily? #ThanksgivingClapback pic.twitter.com/xnbhYaXiLR

— KRA (@kwilli0929) November 24, 2017

Source:false

37.

-“why don’t you talk to your dad, that’s disrespectful”
me-“that thing on your head that you call hair is disrespectful”#ThanksgivingClapback pic.twitter.com/HewMyieQ4V

— Abril (@aprilxrod) November 24, 2017

Source:false

38.

Aunt : “why arent you gaining any weight”??

Me” “why arent you losing any”??? #ThanksgivingClapback pic.twitter.com/VVAwjnvSrh

— Dyron Rojas (@dyrronn) November 24, 2017

Source:false

39.

Cousin: “How’s drawing going to help you in real life?”
Me: It can help me draw you better eyebrows.”#ThanksgivingClapback pic.twitter.com/5vjkrfNzR2

— Vinrocko Ginjocko (@vinrockoginjock) November 24, 2017

Source:false

40.

Aunt: I hear you’re getting a D in calc
Me: And I hear that’s more than you’re getting from your husband anymore
#ThanksgivingClapback pic.twitter.com/Njyfspdyyd

— walker who walks fast through the traffic lights (@guiIIaumer) November 24, 2017

Source:false

41.


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42.

Granny: You has so many chances to bring those grades up to go to college but here you are
Me: And the devil had numerous chances to snatch you like he should’ve but here you are #ThanksgivingClapback pic.twitter.com/4NmlH9PiuL

— walker who walks fast through the traffic lights (@guiIIaumer) November 24, 2017

Source:false

43.

Cousin: You’ve been single for awhile now.
Me: You’re supposed to be wearing a lace front but I can see all though that lace. #ThanksgivingClapback #HappyThanksgiving pic.twitter.com/0nidpXpa3b

— 𝒱𝒜𝒩𝒜𝒯ℐ (@MissVanati) November 24, 2017

Source:false

44.

Me : *eating minding my own buisness*
My aunt : how’s the girlfriends?
Me : how’s the failed marriage? #ThanksgivingClapback pic.twitter.com/lNB6K0yFDZ

— the not so black jesus (@lowkeymex) November 24, 2017

Source:false

45.


Source:false

46.

“Have you talked to *insert ex boyfriends name here* lately??”

…well generally exes don’t catch up and get coffee. It usually a done deal after it’s over so… #ThanksgivingClapback pic.twitter.com/ZYNhqT4cp0

— Carrie (@_carriemiranda) November 24, 2017

Source:false

47.


Source:false

48.

Cousin: “How’s your little boyfriend?”
Me: “How’s your little boyfriend’s wife?”#ThanksgivingClapback pic.twitter.com/JUZ3NjjzuH

— Raee Bax (@marleyxvibin) November 14, 2017

Source:false

49.

Mom: no drink for you you’re not 21

Me: didn’t you give me vodka when I was 10 so I’d go to bed tho?#ThanksgivingClapback pic.twitter.com/iWSVkE4SrQ

— Amanda Pleeze (@MsAmandaGardner) November 14, 2017

Source:false