TableTopics Announces Tips for Spicing Up Conversations this Holiday Season
A Guide to Avoiding Uncomfortable Silences and Idle Small Talk at Holiday Cocktail Parties, Office Parties, and Family Gatherings

Orinda, CA - October 4, 2005 -- TableTopics (www.tabletopics.com) - a new collection of conversation starters published by RUBY MiNE with editions for adults, families, and teens who want to spark more fun, interesting, and meaningful discussions - today announced its tips for spicing up conversations around the holidays. From office parties and neighborhood cocktail parties to sitting around the table with your closest friends and family, TableTopics' tips will ensure you replace uncomfortable silences and boring small talk with stimulating, entertaining, and thought-provoking conversations.

"I came up with the idea for TableTopics at a holiday cocktail party three years ago," said Cristy Clarke, TableTopics founder and mother of three. "I was so tired of having the same, boring conversations that led nowhere that I decided to write down a few questions before the party. I couldn't believe how much fun I had as a result of those questions. I was finally able to connect with people beyond the mundane conversations we'd always had!"

With less personal time than ever before, and fewer opportunities to gather with the people closest to us, it is more important than ever for families and friends to take full advantage of the holidays to connect with one another. Here are Cristy's tips for creating better conversations and more meaningful connections this Holiday Season:

1. Turn off the TV! With forty percent of Americans frequently or always watching television during dinner, our families are missing out on the real prime time - conversations that bring us closer together, make us laugh, and help us learn.
2. Don't be afraid to ask the unexpected and the challenging. Your friends and family will surprise you with their thoughtfulness and intelligence.
3. Don't just ask - tell. Your openness will set the tone for energetic and reciprocal conversations.
4. Make talking fun and stylish by using TableTopics' question cards as coasters or place cards. A perfect way to break the ice at a cocktail party.
5. Be prepared! Slip a few TableTopics cards into your purse or wallet and never be caught off guard when spontaneous holiday festivities arise.

"I started TableTopics because I believe that every conversation has the potential to be great - to inspire us to action, enrich our relationships, and connect us to the people we care about most," Cristy continued. "I wish everyone a safe, peaceful holiday season filled with great conversations!"

Table Topics retails for $25.00, and is available online at www.tabletopics.com and at gift stores nationwide. For more information and to find a TableTopics retailer near you, please visit www.tabletopics.com.

About TableTopics
Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Orinda, CA, TableTopics is a new collection of conversation starters published by RUBY MiNE. TableTopics' 135 fun, interesting and thought-provoking question cards are packaged in a beautifully designed acrylic cube that is as much a conversation piece as the questions inside. Inspired by her own frustration with shallow cocktail party small talk, founder Cristy Clarke created the first TableTopics questions by testing them with her young daughters around their family dinner table. With editions for adults, families, and teens, TableTopics is committed to making the most out of the conversations that happen around us every day, no matter where we are, or who we are. For more information and to find a retailer near you, visit www.tabletopics.com.

Cristy Clarke
Founder and CEO
925-258-9901