Home Security

Ways to Help Stay Safe and Connected This Thanksgiving

By Ring on November 13, 2023

Thanksgiving is the perfect yearly reminder of what you’re most grateful for. But during the days of cooking, decorating, and travel required to reach those moments of peaceful reflection at the dinner table, it’s not always easy to stay in the moment. Whether you’re catching a Thanksgiving morning flight or hosting your extended family this holiday, these tips can help make your journey to the dinner table safe and smooth.

Prepare Your House

You may not have to worry about filling cornucopias and finding extra seating for this year’s Thanksgiving table, if you’re planning on visiting family for the holiday. However, that doesn’t mean your house won’t require a little preparation. Before you head out, follow these tips to help protect your home while you’re away:

Install a Ring Alarm security system and subscribe to Ring Protect, sold separately, to get digital notifications when you’re away.¹ You’ll get an alert from your Contact Sensors if a window or door gets opened or from Motion Detectors if movement is detected.¹

For extra peace of mind when the temperature gets frosty, connect Flood & Freeze Sensors, sold separately, to your Ring Alarm and place them in areas where leaks or frozen pipes could occur. With a Ring Protect subscription, sold separately, you’ll get a notification if water or temperatures under 40 degrees are detected.¹

If you have a Ring-compatible smart lock, create guest codes for sitters or family members who need access to your home. You can also check out Live View when you get a notification from your video doorbell and remotely unlock the door straight from the Ring App.

If you won’t be travelling with your furry friends, be sure to book a sitter, leave detailed instructions, and provide plenty of extra food and supplies. If you know your pet may get curious and try to sneak out, add a Pet Tag to their collar and set up a Pet Profile in the Ring App. Anyone can scan the QR code on Pet Tag to view information about your pet, automatically send you a notification that they’ve been found, and contact you anonymously. Indoor cameras from Ring can also help you keep an eye on your pets between sitter visits. With an Indoor Cam or Stick Up Cam, you can view live footage from the Ring App and tell your pet you miss them. And if you notice they knocked over their water bowl, you can text the sitter to let them know.

Stay in the Know Back at Home

Whether you’re near or far, the Neighbors App can help keep you updated with what’s happening at home. From safety information to weather alerts, you’ll get real-time notifications from your neighbors and local agencies. If you get a severe weather or power outage alert, for example, you can ask a friend to check in on any pets you left behind.

Outdoor cameras can help you check on your car, shed, garage, or other outdoor areas to see if everything’s the same as you left it. If severe weather hits, you can also check for downed branches or other problems and call a friend to help.

With a video doorbell and compatible smart lock, you can also check who’s at the door and open it remotely, even if you’re across the country. If you call a friend to check in after a notification that your Flood & Freeze Sensor was triggered, you can let them inside with your smart lock and use Two-Way Talk to let them know where the potential leak is located.¹

Tips for Thanksgiving Hosts

From searching for dozens of ingredients at the grocery store to juggling side dishes that need different cooking times and temperatures, there’s a lot involved in hosting holiday guests. These tips can help make things more manageable in the days and hours leading up to the big dinner.

Set up Quick Replies on your video doorbell to greet guests, so you don’t have to run to the door if you’re in the middle of cooking or setting the table. You can also add a festive faceplate to spread Thanksgiving cheer before your guests even step inside.

While you’re whipping up a holiday feast, be sure to follow kitchen safety best practices such as turning pot handles toward the back of the stove to prevent burns and keeping flammable items away from the stove.

Make a few things in advance, like stuffing, dressing, cranberry sauce, and pies, and knock out the first few steps in other recipes if possible.

Being stuck in the kitchen can make you feel like you’re missing out on Thanksgiving day festivities, but if you have indoor and outdoor cameras set up, you can use your Echo Show in the kitchen to display live feeds — and with Alex a, you won’t even have to stop stirring the gravy.

You can also ask Alexa to talk to the backyard, so you can cheer on your partner’s touchdown in the annual family football game. Or, if a guest arrives early, you can tell them to come in and meet you in the kitchen. If the door’s locked, Alexa can unlock your Ring-compatible smart lock while you baste the turkey.

Have a Safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

Now that you’re prepared to celebrate Thanksgiving, it’s time for the most important tip of all: Have a wonderful holiday! We hope you get to share the best meal of the year with all your favorite people — and that there are plenty of leftovers to keep you fueled for holiday decorating and Black Friday shopping.

¹ Ring Alarm and all Ring Alarm accessories require a subscription for in-app features and digital notifications, including digital arming / disarming and integration with other Ring, Echo, Alexa, and third party products. Subscription sold separately. View ring.com/protect-plans for pricing and details.