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The holiday season is a magical time, but Christmas traditions, decor, and celebrations can lead to accidents (or worse) if you’re not careful. Here’s how to keep your family safe and healthy through to the New Year.
1. Your tree is a fire risk — even if it’s fake.
Each holiday season, fire departments respond to an average of 210 Christmas tree fires nationally, reports the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
Keep your tree at least three feet away from all heat sources (like fireplaces, radiators, and heat vents). If you have a real tree, remember to keep it watered; the drier the tree, the more easily it could ignite.
2. Don’t overdo it on the lights.
As much as you may want to cover every inch of your house with lights, you may have to scale back depending on your outlets. Check the lights’ packaging for the power output and never plug in more than what a power strip or outlet says it can handle.
Always look for the UL symbol when buying electrical items and pay attention to its color: Green means it’s approved for indoor use, and red means it can be used indoors and outdoors. If you’re using old lights, check the wires to make sure there are no signs of fraying or cracking.
3. Never toss anything but logs into your fireplace.
Don’t try to burn evergreens or wreaths in a fireplace or wood stove. Greenery and tree needles burn much faster than logs, creating sparks, which can fly into the room or onto the roof. They can also cause a build-up of creosote, a highly flammable compound, in the chimney. And don’t burn wrapping paper, because it can contain metallic materials that could be hazardous to breathe in.
4. Festive favorites can seriously harm your pets.
A cat might see shiny tinsel as a toy, but a single strand can become tangled in his intestines, causing serious damage. Holly, mistletoe, and poinsettias are toxic to dogs and cats when ingested. And as for candy canes (the real ones, not the dog-toy variety), their curvy shape and wrapper can be a choking hazard, and sugar-free ones made with xylitol are poisonous to dogs.
5. Banish any slippery spots.
In all the rush, don’t forget to prep the outside of your house. Keep your driveway and walkways clear of ice and snow, especially if you’re expecting guests.
And be extra careful as you’re shoveling your property: Roughly 16,500 Americans head to the hospital each year due to injuries that happen while shoveling or removing ice and snow, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Wear proper boots with enough traction, point feet slightly outward to keep your center of balance under you, and take small, slow steps.
6. Remember to secure the house.
If you’re headed out of town for an extended period of time, you should do more than just lock up. Tell neighbors you trust that you’re going away and have them keep an eye out.
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