It's that time of year again - leaves are falling, the smell of campfires and apple cider is in the air, and our favorite teams are making a run for the playoffs. The holiday season brings its own set of safety challenges so here are my top 3 safety tips for the holidays this year.

1. If you are anything like me, the day before Thanksgiving will be a mad rush to get the house and yard cleaned up along with getting all of your food prepared for cooking. While I do believe it is important to impress your mother-in-law with your cooking skills, it is more important that you are safe and healthy so that you can spend time with her and the rest of your family. As you are knocking out that last minute punch list, be sure to take your time and do things the right way to avoid injury.

2. The number one cause of housefires in America is unattended cooking - specifically cooking on the stovetop. This is obviously a massive inconvenience when it comes to trying to make some of those delicious Thanksgiving favorites and watch the Steelers lose again at the same time. Keep safety in mind this year and make sure someone is always tending the kitchen.

3. My favorite Thanksgiving classic is a turkey sandwich with dark meat only and a glass of red wine several hours after the traditional feast. This Thanksgiving, make sure you put some thought into your travel plans so that you can avoid driving after drinking (or eating too much) or being on the roads with others that have.

Cheers.