We celebrate this time of year in many different ways, and for a lot of people, it’s a super busy time, and we get lost in the joy of it all. Amid the hustle and bustle, and however you celebrate, it’s important to remember to put safety first.
And, since we’re slowly getting back to normal activities, it’s even more critical to take extra steps to be careful.
Cooking Turkey in an Air Fryer
This method can make a delicious turkey, but there are stories of accidents that really could have been prevented. CLICK HERE to open a PDF from the U.S. Fire Administration that talks about best practices to avoid danger. If you’re not 100% sure you can follow these guidelines, maybe it would be good to find a service that can do it for you or opt for another method of cooking your turkey.
Toys and Safety
Toys should bring smiles to young faces, not injuries. Many accidents happen simply because the gift giver was unaware that a particular toy could be the wrong choice. The package generally has a suggested age range, but when choosing, think more about the individual child (their intellect and physical ability) as every child is unique.
If you’re giving a gift to someone else’s child, consult the parent or guardian. To follow are some guidelines from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:
- For children under the age of 3, avoid any toy with small parts.
- For children under the age of ten, avoid toys that require you to plug them in for power.
- Be wary of toys with smaller button batteries or magnets as there is a risk of the child swallowing something that small.
- If you buy a scooter or other riding toy, make sure to include a helmet that fits properly.
Driving to Grandmas House
Many will continue to stay home, but people are traveling to visit friends and family more and more. Or they may take a destination trip with their own immediate families. Safety is critical, and some of it requires preplanning.
- Make sure your car is in good repair, and your tires have the proper amount of air in them. Check to ensure you have your emergency road kit in the trunk or somewhere easy to access.
- Get a good night’s sleep before heading out for an early drive.
- Give your cell phone to someone in the back seat so that you’re not tempted to use it while driving. If your phone is connected to your car, it will still work for hands-free calling.
- Buckle up – even if you’re in the back seat.
- You can usually count on traffic at this time of year, so leave room for error by leaving early.
- And NEVER drink and drive. If you must imbibe and then travel, designate someone to drive or call a rideshare service.
Holiday Decorating
Get in the mood but again, put safety first. To follow are some tips that we may not even think about when we have the holidays on our mind.
- For those beautiful live trees, make sure you water them properly, so they don’t dry out and become a fire hazard.
- If you have an artificial tree, make sure it is fire-resistant.
- Never put your tree near a fireplace or other heat source.
- Keep those glass ornaments higher up on the tree so that small children and four-legged babies don’t knock them off.
- Holiday plants are beautiful, but many are poisonous. Keep them out of reach from children and pets.
- When hanging lights on your home, be careful to have someone there to help when using the ladder.
- Follow the instructions on your lights to make sure you don’t overload the socket with too many lights.
- Make sure to turn off all lights when heading to bed or leaving the house.