Holiday celebrations rarely go as planned and often are marked by both small and large complications. The internet resource JustAnswer, a platform that connects users with verified experts, compiled a list of the most common emergency questions it received at Thanksgiving this year and during Christmas a year ago.
The range of Thanksgiving-related topics experts received this year varied widely, from etiquette questions such as “What is the latest acceptable date to send a Thanksgiving card?” to complex family matters such as child custody issues during the holidays.
Notably, 17 percent of all Thanksgiving-related questions this year pertained to family law. Following closely behind were tech inquiries regarding delayed orders for pumpkin pies and turkeys, accounting for 11 percent of questions. In addition, appliance concerns pegged to hosting family and friends on Turkey Day were dominant themes, including queries such as, “My oven is splattered from roasting the Thanksgiving turkey! Why won’t it auto-clean?”
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These are the most common Christmas conundrums:
- Pets vs. holiday décor. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, questions about dogs eating holiday items are at the top of the list of pet-related emergencies, with chocolate Santas, Christmas tree decorations and stockings being the main culprits.
- Tech gift troubles. Setting up new devices ranks as one of the most common help requests from December 23 to 26, with users struggling with everything from virtual reality headsets to smart home devices, particularly when helping elderly family members with their new gadgets.
- Holiday health concerns. Medical questions during Christmas range from medication interactions with cocktails to pregnancy-safe holiday foods and managing seasonal illnesses during family gatherings.
- Home system stress. The combination of holiday cooking, houseguests and cold weather puts extra strain on home systems, leading to urgent questions about malfunctioning ovens, broken water heaters and failing heating systems.
“The holidays bring joy but also unique challenges, especially when regular service providers are closed,” said Andy Kurtzig, CEO and founder of JustAnswer. “Our data show that whether it’s a pet emergency, tech trouble or a malfunctioning oven, people need expert help at all hours during the holiday season.”
–Alan Goforth | Metro Voice