The holidays can simultaneously be a joyful and chaotic time for many families. Every year, there’s a lot to do while juggling family, events, décor, and food to name a few. In terms of holiday safety, all of this running around could potentially lead to some dangerous oversight that could derail your holiday plans.
Whether you are lighting the menorah or stringing up the Christmas lights, there are steps that families can take to ensure their safety. Here are the top holiday safety tips to follow for a safe and happy holiday season.
Decoration Tips
For many families, decorating your home for the holidays is an honored, exciting tradition. The National Safety Council reported in 2012 that there were 15,000 decoration-related injuries during the season. And since nearly all holiday decorating involves some sort of plug-in lighting, candles, or batteries, it’s especially important to remain diligent with safety.
- Plugging in cords improperly or leaving lit candles unattended is a sure way to lead to a dangerous mishap. Have your lights set on an automatic timer and take extra precaution with candles.
- While putting up decorations always use a sturdy ladder or step ladder—not a chair, table, or other surface not meant for standing. This is said to be one of the top holiday safety tips. Make sure to ask for help, too, in case there is an accident.
- A live Christmas tree can pose a number of challenges if not cared for properly. Make sure to keep it watered so it doesn’t dry out and cause a fire hazard. Also keep it displayed in a sturdy tree stand filled with water or wet sand. Such measures make sure that not only does the tree stay nice and green, it also won’t fall if bumped by a wayward child or pet.
Lights, Fire, Safety
Fires can occur at any time, but the holidays pose a special risk. As stated above, improperly cared for plugs and candles pose a significant risk to your home. According to the US Fire Administration, 1 in 3 holiday fires are caused by electrical problems.
To Avoid a Fire Hazard:
- Get rid of any lighting décor that has a frayed or broken wire
- Keep your tree watered
- Blow out candles when you leave the room
- Never place anything flammable in or around lights, candles, or a fireplace
- It may seem like common sense, but such measures are easy to forget when caught up in the holiday madness.
Theft and Break-Ins
Holiday travel brings along its own issues. Take the normal measures of your everyday home security and add a few extra holiday safety tips to ensure your house stays safe while you’re away. Home automation has made travel much easier on families since you can monitor everything from your thermostat to the door locks and light and beyond. And since thefts rise during the months of November and December, make sure to always plan to have someone look after your house while you’re gone or use video surveillance. One tip is to have a neighbor or friend shovel your walk for you if it snows. If that’s not possible, ask someone to make tire marks in your driveway so it appears as though someone is home.
Protecting Your Pets
Don’t forget about furry loved ones during the holidays! They can get into quite a bit of mischief when you’re not paying attention. Tearing trash bags apart, climbing the Christmas trees, and tearing through your decorations are some of the ways your pets can drive you crazy. But the more serious thing to be aware of are your pets chewing on wires or consuming harmful plants. Many plants that are prevalent during the holidays can be poisonous to your pets.
PetMD lists these holiday plants to keep away from your pet:
- Poinsettia
- Holly and mistletoe
- Lilies and daffodils
- Amaryllis
- Christmas cactus
Above information is provided as courtesy and was sourced from online data from ADT