Keep Christmas Safe
As thoughts turn to Christmas trees and holiday cheer, taking a few quick and simple precautions can keep your home and family happy through the holidays. When it comes to decorating, home security or entertaining, making health and safety a priority will help keep Christmas as stress-free as possible.
Decorating
To reduce fire risk, keep natural Christmas trees very well watered. Make a fresh diagonal cut on the bottom of the trunk before placing it in a sturdy holder, so that the tree doesn’t seal itself and prevent the uptake of water. Check the holder’s water level daily, and keep the tree away from sources of heat. Tether it, if necessary, to avoid pets and children knocking or pulling it over.
Check the manufacturer’s recommendations for artificial trees. Some shouldn’t be used with strings of electric lights because of a shock hazard. Test your smoke detectors monthly (especially just before houseguests arrive for Christmas) to make sure everything’s working properly.
Check your lights for damaged cords or broken bulbs before you string them up. Replace damaged or burned-out bulbs promptly; too many broken ones can cause the others to overheat. Never leave a bulb socket empty. Use clips rather than staples to put up the outdoor lights, as the staples can penetrate the cord, causing a shock and potential fire.
Be careful when decorating stair railings, indoors and out. Make sure that garlands and other trimmings don’t prevent people from getting a good grasp on the railing.
Holiday Helper
All electrical components, including extension cords, should have the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) or Canadian Standards Association (CSA) label of approval, to ensure that they've been tested for safety. Do your part, and use them for their original purpose: Indoor cords and lights aren't sturdy enough for outdoor use. while outdoor lights may burn too warmly for indoor use.
Breakable or potentially toxic tree decorations should be kept out of the reach of children and pets. Poinsettias aren’t considered toxic plants, but holly and mistletoe are. For a complete list, call your local Poison Control Center, or check its Web site.
Never leave lit candles and fireplaces unattended, and closely supervise children and pets in such areas. A sturdy fireguard can be used to keep little ones from getting too close to the fireplace.
Security
It’s a busy time for everyone at Christmas, and unfortunately that includes thieves. Keep houses and vehicles locked, garage doors closed, and valuables out of sight. Entrances should be well lit, and bushes shouldn’t obscure windows (otherwise, thieves can use them to hide behind while they gain access to your home).
If you’re going on vacation, take normal precautions: Light timers should be variable to have the best effect; driveways should be kept shoveled; and mail or newspaper delivery should be either stopped or picked up daily by a neighbor.
Be careful, too, when shopping. Busy shopping malls can offer opportunities for pickpockets and purse “dippers.” Put presents in car trunks, or at least cover them so that passersby can’t see that there’s anything inside your vehicle to steal. Avoid transferring packages into your trunk and then going into a building: If someone’s watching the parking lot, you’ve just let them know there’s something potentially valuable in the trunk.
Entertaining
Avoid the dangers of food poisoning by observing cooking times and temperatures carefully, especially with turkey and stuffing. Be especially careful if you or someone you know has food allergies, particularly to nuts, which are used in many holiday foods.
Keep candies and nuts out of the way of small children, who might choke on them, and keep alcohol out of their reach, too. And if you’re enjoying a little Christmas cheer, designate a sober driver: Never drink and drive, and never let anyone else drive while under the influence, either.
