Keeping the Home Fires Burning

The rolls after being removed from the stove top.

The stove top after the rolls were removed.

Fans being moved into position, babies trying to figure out what's going on, but really wanting to get to the food!

Daddy and Papa trying to get fans and extension cords set up.

"I need another glass of eggnog!"

"I'm getting too old for this!"

Upon picking up the roll tray, we discovered that there was more damage done to it than first realized.

Remember the game Break the Ice? We didn't need ice hammers to knock the rolls out. They just kept falling.

The bottom of the pan.

My family is all about big celebrations and parties around the holidays. There is always lots of food, lots of family and friends, and lots of excitement. Incidentally, it has become something of a tradition during the holiday season to have at least one fire in the kitchen. Everything from turkeys to oven mitts have caught fire and met a rather sad and charred end. It's not Christmas until you hear the ear piercing beep of the smoke detector. You have to love holiday tradition.

This year, due to fatigue and unfamiliar kitchen appliances, the perfect conditions were set for yet another "event". I set a tray of rolls fresh from the oven on the back burner. Grandpa tried to heat up the pot on the front burner, but turned the wrong dial. Nobody noticed until smoke and flames were leaping from the stove top.

Everyone sprung into action and yelled directions. Aunt Alyssa rounded up the babies, and I grabbed the potholders. Uncle Patrick ran to the pantry, pulled out the fire extinguisher with a great deal of authority, turned to face the fire, raised it, took aim......then asked "Does anyone know how to use this thing?"

Nobody wanted to deal with the mess of a fire extinguisher, so I used some oven mitts to quickly toss the flaming rolls into the sink and doused the flames with tap water. Nobody was harmed during the event and Grandma managed to get the stove top cleaned up and free of melted foil. Sadly the rolls didn't survive the ordeal.

To keep things exciting, we maintain a holiday checklist-

• Plenty of food on hand (you never know when you'll need backups)
  

• Lots of eggnog to calm the nerves after emergency events


• At least one fire extinguisher on hand in case we actually ever need to use it (although someone should probably learn how to use it)!


• Several potholders


• Mistletoe (no explanation needed)


• Multiple extension cords, power strips and fans to air out the smoke


• At least one camera for photographic documentation of the fire drill