With Thanksgiving next week, there will be a lot of holiday decorating and cooking going on. I plan on baking pies, entertaining and yes, setting up the Christmas tree after Thanksgiving dinner!  If you plan to get ready as well, there are some excellent safety tips to follow.

1. Never combine real candles with holiday garland, this is a recipe for FIRE.  With todays flameless candles available, they are a safe choice.
2. Don't plug in too many decorations into one electrical outlet. Sounds simple enough, but just remember how many cords you are plugging into that extension. You may want to split up your lighted decorations to more than one outlet and/or extension cord.
3. Keep your driveway and walkways clear for guests. If there is ice present that can not be removed, sand sand sand!
4. Don't leave your food cooking on the stove and join your guests. If you have a seperate kitchen area, you may be tempted to go visit while cooking. Instead, ask your guests to pop into the kitchen to visit YOU.  Just one quick splash or hot food that "bubbles" over, could make for a kitchen disaster if you are not watching. And remember, keep products like paper towels and napkins, away from hot surfaces while preparing food.
5. Don't forget to take a minute and test your smoke detectors, replacing batteries as needed.

Stay safe and Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Georgetown Insurance Agency.

For further Home safety tips on a variety of subjects, visit:  http://blog.foremost.com/category/home-sweet-home/safety-at-home/