1. Know Your Risks and Create Simple Action Steps

Prepare for the basics:

• Fire: Do you know your evacuation route? When was the last time you checked your smoke alarm batteries?

• Power Outages: What’s your backup plan if the power goes out halfway through cooking the turkey? (OR do you have a backup pre-cooked turkey somewhere? I can neither confirm nor deny doing this…)

• Natural Hazards: My hometown occasionally experiences earthquakes. They’re rare, but when they happen, my family tends to panic like headless turkeys. To prepare, I always review “Drop, Cover, and Hold On.”

Pro Tip: When my nieces and nephews were younger, they loved running through the house to find the best “safe spots” during our earthquake drills. It’s a surprisingly fun pre-dinner activity!

• Internet Meltdowns: Slow internet can lead to big meltdowns. Break out the old board games early — it’s a lifesaver.