Blog: Nothing is better with Turkey than security and good manners | Blogs

Thanksgiving marks the start of the holiday season, and many of us will be spending more time in the kitchen preparing for the holidays. Below are some safety tips when cooking your Thanksgiving meal.

There are more house fires during the holiday season than at any other time of the year. Thanksgiving is the worst day for fires!

Cooking Safety Facts:

• Be careful when wearing loose clothing around open flames on the stove.

• Use a timer and use Post It notes to remind you of baking times.

• Be careful when using candles at the table (especially if toddlers are present).

• Use oven mitts when handling hot pots and pans.

• Do not cool hot saucepans with water if they contain fat.

• Have a fire extinguisher nearby and know how to use it.

• Stay alert. If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, do not use the stove or the hob.

• Is this smoke detector working properly?

If you have a cooking fire, get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire.

Nothing goes better with turkey than good manners!

Remember that bad manners can make a delicious meal bad. Here are a few things to help maintain civility:

Not:

• talk about politics or bring up other “hot topics”. Often the urge is to help family members understand your position or understand why their position is irrational and wrong. Too often it ends with doors slamming and someone crying in the car.

• be sarcastic, critical or throw subtle punches. These can cause emotions to escalate quickly and feelings can be hurt.

• try to deal with the other’s problems over a meal. Also, do not discuss the issues of other family / department members who are not there. Thanksgiving meal is not the time to suggest someone get out of a relationship, sell a house, be a better parent, or start exercising.

take it personally. Some family members are tougher than others, but you can choose not to be defensive. If someone starts looking for a reaction, don’t take the hook.

Make

• take charge of the seats. Set the table for success by separating the conflicting personalities. Place the conspirators near you so you can put out the fires and guide the conversation.

• ask others about their lives. Don’t talk too much about yourself.

• give responsibilities to children, but then let them go. Children simply won’t like being trapped at a table for long periods of time. They often become restless and whiny. It doesn’t matter if they run away after trying most foods. Don’t turn it into a battle. Have something to do for them after the meal.

• remember why you are doing this. You love your family (hopefully) and the people are more important than the problems.