Threshold

When my kids were little and they'd get to whining or going on and on about something that should have been a closed topic. I had a way of dealing with it. I'd respond once. then if they started again I'd make a loud "game show buzzer" noise. until they stopped. Then, if they started again "meeeeeeep"

They nearly always ended up laughing.

If things got really crazy I'd put my fingers in my ears and begin to say loudly "yodel odel odel odel"...and again, they'd end up laughing.

I always did give them a chance to say their piece once, and to respond, but then...when there was no more to be said...they'd get the beep or the yodel.

I laugh thinking how fun this would be to do with relatives when they get in holiday mode craziness....I wonder if it could/would stop some of the gosh darned stupid pointless nattering...and I KNOW that it would get many people at the gathering laughing their butt off!

I used to use the game show buzzer noise with my dog too. He knew exactly what it meant!