Holiday Decorating Safety

Many families and homes in the United States do some type of home decorating during the months of November and December.  Christmas is, by far, the most decorated holiday in this country.  However, decorating accidents and injuries are also quite common around the holidays.  According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), approximately 10,000 people visit emergency rooms each year due to accidents related to holiday decorating.  When decorating your home, it's important to follow good safety procedures to protect yourself and your property.

First and foremost is Christmas tree safety.  Some people believe that real trees are fire hazards.  For the most part, this is untrue, provided that they are kept watered.  A well-hydrated real Christmas tree is no more of a fire hazard than a fire-retardant artificial tree.  There are automated Christmas tree waterers on the market today that make the task of watering your tree much easier.  Instead of having to remember to water the tree every day, just fill up the tree waterer's reservoir, and it will do the work for you for several days or up to a week.

It's also important to check your holiday lights before using them.  Strings of lights should be checked for frayed cords, broken bulbs, or other signs of damage.  Don't take any chances with old lights!  If they look like they've outlived their useful life, discard them.  There are many organizations that now recycle holiday lights; check online for a location near you.

Be sure not to plug too many strings of lights into one outlet or extension cord.  You should carefully read and follow all safety instructions that come with your lights.  A good rule of thumb is no more than 3 strings of lights plugged together into one outlet.  Extension cord safety is also important.  Be sure not to run extension cords under rugs, as this can cause wear over time.  When decorating outdoors, you should also take care not to run extension cords across driveways or sidewalks where they might be a tripping hazard for pedestrians.

Of all the dangers of holiday decorations, candles play the largest role in holiday accidents and injuries.  According to the CPSC, as many as 14,000 house fires occur each year due to burning candles, and those fires result in approximately 170 deaths.  The best way to play it safe with candles is simply not to use them at all.  If you must burn candles, be sure to keep them far away from children and pets.  You should never leave a burning candle unattended.  It's also important to keep open flame away from anything that might be flammable such as curtains and drapes, wrapped package and other paper, and live and/or artificial trees and greenery.

Candles are not the only source of open flame around the holidays.  When the weather turns cold, many families like to have fires in their fireplaces or wood burning stoves.  It's important to take precautions with these types of fires, too.  Remember to keep young children and pets far away from fireplaces and stoves to avoid burns.  Also, it's important to have a good safety screen in front of a fire so that popping sparks don't ignite carpet or other nearby objects.  If you like to hang stockings on your fireplace, be sure they are far enough away that the heat or popping sparks won't catch them on fire, either.  Special salts used to produce colorful flames should also be kept away from children and pets, as they can be poisonous when ingested.

Remember, 'tis the season to deck the halls safely and soundly.  No family enjoys a holiday spent in the emergency room!  With some good common sense and basic safety rules, you can make the holidays a safe and pleasant time for yourself and your family.