Holiday Safety Tips

The kitchen is the heart of the home, especially during the holidays. From testing family recipes to decorating cakes and cookies, everyone enjoys being part of the preparations. So keeping fire safety top of mind in the kitchen during this joyous but hectic time is important. Accidents in kitchens spike during the holiday season – especially at Thanksgiving, with a nearly 200% spike in reported fires. From fire safety to personal safety, there’s a lot to keep in mind, so be prepared this holiday season with these simple holiday safety tips to ensure a safe and happy holiday season.

Holiday Safety Tips

• Make sure the electrical outlets in your home are up to code.
• Buy a fire extinguisher and know how to use it.
• Don’t leave cooking food unattended.
• Keep rags and paper towels away from the range.
• Don’t wear loose clothing or sleeves that dangle while cooking.
• When frying on the stovetop, reserve an extra container of baking soda in your pantry to battle a sudden grease fire.
• If you’re deep frying a turkey, set up your cooking station outdoors 10+ feet away from your home and deck, keep a fire extinguisher outside with you, and never leave the fryer unattended. Be cautious when it comes to dropping in the turkey and removing it, as oil that spills from the fryer onto the burner can cause a fire.
• When you light a candle somewhere in the house, don’t forget about it!
• Sharpen your knives.
• Get clean – Clean your oven before and after heavy-duty holiday use, and keep your home well sanitized, too.
• Baby proof your home if you’re entertaining guests with small children.
• Make sure to test that your smoke alarms are working and replace the batteries, if needed.

Thanksgiving fire facts

• Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, followed by Christmas Day, the day before Thanksgiving, Easter, and Christmas Eve.
• In 2018, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 1,630 home cooking fires on Thanksgiving, the peak day for such fires.
• Unattended cooking was by far the leading contributing factor in cooking fires and fire deaths.
• Cooking caused almost half of all reported home fires and home fire injuries, and it is the second leading cause of home fire deaths in 2014-2018.

Fun facts about Thanksgiving

• The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621 over a three day harvest festival. It included 50 Pilgrims, 90 Wampanoag Indians, and lasted three days.
• Turkey wasn’t on the menu at the first Thanksgiving. Venison, duck, goose, oysters, lobster, eel, and fish were likely served, alongside pumpkins and cranberries (but not pumpkin pie or cranberry sauce!).
• George H.W. Bush is the president who formalized the turkey pardoning tradition in 1989.
• There are four towns in the United States named “Turkey.” They can be found in Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, and North Carolina.
• The average number of calories consumed on Thanksgiving is 4,500.
• The tradition of football on Thanksgiving began in 1876 with a game between Yale and Princeton. The first NFL games were played on Thanksgiving in 1920.
• The first professional Thanksgiving Day football game was played 1920.
• Snoopy has made the most appearances in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
• “Jingle Bells” was originally a Thanksgiving Day song.
• Each year, about 46 million turkeys are cooked.
• Black Friday, aka the day after Thanksgiving, is the busiest day for plumbers.

Following a few simple holiday safety tips can keep your family safe and create warm family memories. We believe a beautifully designed kitchen creates a place for family and friends to gather safely with love. Speak with a remodeling contractor to discuss creative possibilities to make you the toast of the town with the coolest kitchen. Enjoy lots of togetherness in your newly remodeled kitchen with entertaining in mind. During all this fun, create new memories for yourself and your family and friends.