Tag: holiday season

How To: Avoid Holiday Hazards at Home

Posted on by butlervetinsurance

Keep your holiday merry by avoiding these home holiday hazards.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! We don’t want to dampen your holiday season in any way, but we do want to remind you that this time of year is also filled with hazards. The good news is that if you take steps to avoid holiday hazards at home, you can keep this time of year merry, bright, and safe! Here are a few tips to help you get started.

  • Theft claims increase by 7 percent during the holiday season. Make sure you’re home isn’t targeted by keeping valuables out of the way of windows and having your mail collected if you’ll be heading out of town.
  • Home fire claims also heat in the coming weeks, and by a shocking 15 percent! Choose flame-resistant decorations, avoid stringing more than the manufacturer-recommended number of light strands together and overloading outlets, and make sure all candles are blown out and lights are turned off when you go to bed. Your décor might not be the spark, though. When you’re in the kitchen, keep a close eye on all your items. If you know you’re cooking on a hectic day, set timers for yourself so you don’t forget!
  • Sewer back-up claims climb up by 19 percent during the holidays. Be careful about how you dispose of your kitchen waste. If you’re completely confident your garbage disposal can handle the job, dispose of it in the garbage. Also, keep plungers where guests can easily find them. Better a slight eyesore than a major cleanup!

We hope this guide helps you stay safe, but it’s not the only protection we want to offer.  Contact Stromsoe Insurance Agency in California to put a homeowners insurance policy to protect your home for the holidays and throughout the rest of the year.

Preparing Your Home For Winter Weather

Posted on by butlervetinsurance

Are you—and your home—ready for the coming winter weather? Get prepared with this guide!

Can you believe it’s already November? Thanksgiving will be here before we know it, with the holiday season following right on its heels (thanks, Black Friday). That means that the coming months are only going to get busier.

Before the hectic time of year kicks into full gear, it’s important you deal with your other to-dos. Specifically, you need to think about preparing your home for winter. To help you do just that, here are a few pointers.

  • In case you missed it, experts a predicting that a monster El Niño is coming our way, complete with lots of rain. You might have been neglecting your gutters years into our drought, but its important you clean them out now. If you don’t, you could be left with water spilling everywhere you don’t want it – including right into your home.
  • There are some things you just shouldn’t try to DIY. Inspecting your furnace and chimney are a couple of them. Call out professionals to take a look at these systems before you’ll be using them this winter. It’s much better to deal with the small hassle of a routine inspection now than waiting to have a pro come out and fix your breakdown on one the coldest days of the year!
  • You want to keep warm air in this winter. Keep your house cozy and your heating costs down by checking the seals around your house. If you can fit a nickel in the gap between your windows/doors and your home, re-caulk those areas.

In addition to taking on these tasks, you also need to review your California homeowners insurance. If you’d like to do that with an expert who can advise you on the proper amount of coverage for your family’s needs, contact Stromsoe Insurance Agency today!

Holiday Recipe: Homemade Eggnog

Posted on by butlervetinsurance

Add This One To The Family Holiday Recipe Book!

In the midst of the holiday season, you may be thinking about which holiday recipes to fix up to impress your family, friends, and neighbors. If you have come second best in the family’s best recipe contest year after year, mix up this delicious homemade eggnog recipe to not only win first prize but to have them begging for more:

What you will need:

  • 3 Eggs (Lightly Beaten)
  • 1/3 Cup of White Sugar
  • Salt
  • 2 ½ Cups of Milk
  • 1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
  • 1 Cup of Heavy Cream
  • 2 Tablespoons of Confectioners’ Sugar
  • ½ Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
  • ½ Cup of Rum (Optional)
  • 2 Drops of Yellow Food Coloring
  • 1 Pinch of Ground Nutmeg

How to prepare:

  • Combine the eggs, salt, and sugar in a saucepan and gradually add and stir in milk. You will need to stir this mixture consistently for about 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat. You will know it is ready for the next step with the mixture can coat a metal spoon.
  • Remove the concoction from the heat and add the vanilla extract. Next, place the saucepan over ice water until the custard begins to cool. Refrigerate until chilled.
  • In a separate, chilled bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar, ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract, and the heavy cream. Beat until you notice stiff peaks in the mixture.
  • Now, add the rum and food coloring and fold the mixture into the cooled custard.
  • Pour the delicious eggnog into a serving bowl, top with a sprinkle of nutmeg, serve, and enjoy!

We hope you enjoy this delicious homemade eggnog recipe and add it to your holiday recipe book to enjoy year after year! Contact Stromsoe Insurance Agency for all of your California insurance needs.

Safety Tips for Holiday Shopping

Posted on by butlervetinsurance

With the holiday season just around the corner, you must think about how you will remain safe while completing your holiday shopping to-do-list. While you may be inclined to assume that everyone is in the holiday spirit, there are an overwhelming number of criminals that take advantage of joyous people during this time. We want you to remain safe all year long, which is why we have gathered these important safety tips for holiday shopping:

  • Make sure to always be aware of your surroundings so that you can report suspicious activity immediately. If you see someone lingering around the parking lot, contact the authorities right away. It is always better to be safe than sorry!
  • If possible, try to purchase all of your holiday gifts with the same credit card. This will not only make it easier to track your spending, but it will also make it so that you can respond to fraudulent activity faster and with more ease.
  • It is imperative that you never leave any of your valuables in plain sight. This means putting all recent purchases in your trunk and out of sight. A criminal will find it hard to pass up the temptation if you have a load of Nordstrom’s shopping bags in your back seat.
  • If possible, do not pass over your credit card to the store clerk. Many of these employees are seasonal hires so they cannot be trusted as easily. Therefore, sliding your own card whenever you can is the best way to keep your personal information secure.
  • Where you park is extremely important. If possible, park in the front of the structure in a well-lit area so that criminals cannot hide in dark corners and approach you when you are least expecting it. Also, if you will be leaving the mall or boutique after the sun has already set, make sure to have a security guard walk you out to ensure safety.

Happy Holidays! We hope these important safety tips for holiday shopping allow you to enjoy the holiday season worry-free! Contact Stromsoe Insurance Agency in Murrieta for all of your California insurance needs.

Ways to Give Back This Thanksgiving

Posted on by butlervetinsurance

Thanksgiving is a time of giving back and showing those around you how much you appreciate everything they do on a daily basis. In giving back this Thanksgiving, there are a variety of ways in which you can spread the holiday cheer to those less fortunate. Whether you choose to volunteer at a local charity or simply show your gratitude to another, giving back makes the world a better place. Gathered are a variety of ways in which you can give back this Thanksgiving:

  • Nearly every county has a nonprofit organization that accepts donations during the holidays to help the hungry during Thanksgiving. While the anticipation for the delicious feast continues to build, think about how others will not have the opportunity to enjoy a warm turkey and stuffing on this day.
  • Supporting a local food drive on Thanksgiving is a great way to give back during the holidays. Whether you choose to donate food, money, or even volunteer at the food drive, this will mean the world to those who get to enjoy a warm meal on Thanksgiving.
  • Imagine the sorrow of not being able to spend the holidays with your family. Our troops overseas will not be seeing their family this holiday season, nor will they be enjoying Thanksgiving Dinner. Therefore, sending a care package or phone card to our soldiers is a great way to spread the holiday cheer and make a difference.
  • Rather than shoving your freezer with a bunch of Thanksgiving leftovers that will likely end up being tossed, why not bring your leftovers to a homeless family or shelter instead.

To find out how you can help your community this Thanksgiving, simply Google search “charity volunteer for Thanksgiving in [your city]!”Contact Stromsoe Insurance Agency in Murrieta for all of your California insurance needs.

 

Happy Halloween! Homemade Costume Ideas & Safety Tips!

Posted on by butlervetinsurance

Happy Halloween from the Stromsoe Insurance Agency Team! With Halloween just a little over a week away, you may be rushing to get the right costume together for your kiddos. We understand this transition into the holiday season can be both an exciting and overwhelming time for parents, which is why we have gathered some Halloween costume ideas for you to try, as well as trick or treating safety tips so that you can have the perfect Halloween with your family:

Homemade Halloween Costume Ideas:

  • Mary had a little lamb: Simply dress your little tike in all black and then use fabric glue to attach cotton balls to their black leotard. You can quickly make the ears out of black felt.
  • Raining cats and dogs: Pick up a clear umbrella from your local store and use black cat and black dog stickers to cover the umbrella. Dress your kiddo up in their raincoat and rain boots and the look is perfected!
  • A vine of grapes: Simply pick up a bag of purple balloons filled up and use glue to cover your child in them.

Trick or Treating Safety Tips:

  • Always look both ways before crossing and be aware of your surroundings at all times.
  • Bring your cell phone with you just in case of an emergency, but do not make it a distraction.
  • Make sure that your child’s costume is made of nonflammable material and that vision is not obstructed. You may want to indulge in face paint to avoid costume masks. However, make sure that you test the face paint on a more remote location of their body to avoid an allergic reaction.

Happy Halloween from the Stromsoe Insurance Agency Team! Contact Stromsoe Insurance Agency in Murrieta for all of your California insurance needs. We will go above and beyond to insure every corner of your world!