SNOW: We know all of you had strong thoughts on Sunday afternoon when the snowfall started.

We are not going to let this winter keep us down. We got up Sunday, shoveled the sidewalk and, fighting the urge to put on our warmest sweatpants, we instead pulled a nice skirt (paired with pantyhose and winter boots) from the closet before going out.

Seriously, though, folks, do take some extra precautions with the winter. We know it happens every fall, but for some reason it seems like it’s happening for the first time when winter weather returns.

Check the tire pressure in your car. Get your battery tested. If you haven’t already done so, get your winter tires on your vehicle. Do you have a brush and scraper handy?

Have a safety kit in case something happens. A blanket, small snow shovel, food and water, salt or kitty litter, a flashlight and jumper cables may make the difference between an annoying obstacle or a serious incident.

There were several motor vehicle accidents over the weekend, so remember to give yourself a little extra time to clean off your car and relearn how to drive on icy roads.

TRADITIONS: Fresh snow always makes us sentimental.

As it’s falling outside while we make our own Thanksgiving plans, we wondered if any of our readers had unique Thanksgiving traditions — or funny Thanksgiving stories — they wanted to share. Feel free to write and tell us about it.

In our family, Thanksgiving was always a time for mom’s homemade pies, dad’s homemade stuffing and an afternoon of sitting at the children’s table with cousins and siblings. We’ve long since left the kids’ table, but we can still count on a fresh slice of apple pie for dessert. Not unique, but we’ve always enjoyed it.

Speaking of annual Thanksgiving customs in the U.S., the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will start at 9 a.m. Thursday on NBC, and you can catch “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” at 8 p.m. Wednesday on ABC.