They’re divorcing over a cookbook!”Ashley screamed, “OVER MY DEAD BODY! WE’RE FLYING HOME TONIGHT!” She dialed Mike, furious. “Don’t you DARE sign anything!” Mike hung up, high-fiving Janet as they laughed. “Both kids are coming home—and buying their own tickets!” Janet wiped her eyes. “Should we tell them we did the same thing for Thanksgiving?”Mike grinned. “Nah, let’s save that one for Easter!”

This joke is a playful and clever take on a family’s tradition of pulling pranks, especially around the holidays. The punchline builds on the tension created by Mike’s ridiculous statement about divorce, which throws their children into a frenzy. It’s funny because Mike and Janet are clearly enjoying the chaos they’ve created, knowing full well they’re not actually splitting up.

The humor lies in the absurdity of the situation and the reactions it sparks from their children—Ryan, who panics, and Ashley, who is ready to come home immediately to prevent a fictional disaster. Their over-the-top concern about a “cookbook” being the trigger for a divorce adds a layer of absurdity that makes the situation even funnier.

The final twist, where Mike and Janet reveal that this prank is part of a long-standing tradition (they did the same thing for Thanksgiving), shows that they’re no strangers to such antics. Mike’s suggestion to save a similar prank for Easter further underscores their playful and mischievous relationship, suggesting that family pranks have become an ongoing source of amusement for everyone involved.

This joke works well because it builds on the shock value of a serious topic—divorce—only to deflate the tension with an unexpected reveal, allowing for a mix of humor, family bonding, and playful scheming.