The holidays are a wonderful time to celebrate with family and friends while enjoying sparkling decorations, traditional meals, and lots of gift giving. To help ensure you have a safe and happy holiday season, take the proper precautions when it comes to decorations, toys, and cooking to help avoid disaster.
Decorations:
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSM), there are an average of 160 decorating-related injuries each day during the holiday season. Learn how to avoid a potential hospital visit or house fire by following these tips.
- Be careful not to overload electrical outlets and remember to unplug decorative lighting overnight or when you leave the house for extended periods. Read more about electronic device safety here.
- If you purchase a live Christmas tree, give it plenty of water each day, and be careful not to set it up too close to a fireplace or candles that are used regularly. If you use an artificial tree, make sure the label says, “Fire Resistant.”
- Never leave candles unattended, and make sure not to place them too close to any flammable decorations. Flameless candles are a great and safer alternative for the holiday season.
- Follow the proper ladder safety guidelines when hanging any decorations or lights, as 40% of holiday injuries each year occur from falling.
Toys:
If you have young children or are shopping for a gift for someone else’s child, it is important to do your research when deciding what toys to purchase for your loved ones.
- Follow age guidelines and any safety warnings on toy packaging to make sure what you buy will be suitable for the child.
- It is best to avoid toys that come with small parts for children under the age of three. However, if there are small parts, keep them contained and out of reach of the child unless they are under supervision.
- When gifting toys such as scooters, bikes, and other riding toys, make sure the child has the proper safety gear (helmets, knee pads, goggles) to enjoy the toy safely.
- When charging any electronic toys and devices, make sure to follow proper charging guidelines, and beware of lithium-ion batteries as they can be flammable and toxic if they are damaged or improperly used, charged, or stored. Read more on lithium-ion battery safety here.
Cooking:
With friends and family home for the holidays, the kitchen can get overcrowded, and it is easy to lose focus and make a deadly mistake.
- Never leave cooking food unattended on the stove or in the oven and be sure to keep a watchful eye on young children in and around the kitchen when cooking.
- Only fry a turkey outside and away from your home. Read more about turkey frying safety here.
For more information, visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s page for holiday safety, or the National Fire Protection Association.
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