It was decades ago that we first heard the story about people who tried to save themselves time by stuffing the Thanksgiving turkey and stashing it in the fridge overnight before cooking. Bad idea, because that warm moist zone inside the bird is a perfect place for bacteria to grow.
For this and many other reasons, the federal agriculture department (USDA) puts out holiday season reminders of safe food handling, so the holiday memories do not include episodes of food-borne illness.
Food safety needs to extend beyond the big meal, because you'll probably have those leftovers hanging around for several more days, at a minimum. We chat with a USDA rep about making only happy food memories on this or any holiday.