Are you prepared for the holidays? Although you may be excited about the decorations, big meals and parties, and time together with the family, you aren’t really prepared for the holiday season until you’ve taken safety into account. Holiday safety is something that many people regrettably take for granted. Don’t be one of those families. The 10 holiday safety tips below provide the safety tips necessary for a safe, memorable holiday season.
Tip 1: Check all electrical wiring before use. This includes strands of lights from holiday’s past, faulty or damaged plugs, loose outlets, and frayed/bare wires. Do not use items that look damaged.
Tip 2: Don’t overload the circuits. It’s easy to overload circuits when many items need electricity, but doing so increases the risk of an electrical fire. Purchase a safety strip to use to reduce the risk of an overloaded circuit and the dangers that come with it.
Tip 3: If using candles, do not leave them unattended in rooms. Do not leave candles burning if you leave the home. Consider battery-operated candles to increase home safety during the holidays.
Tip 4: Never place Christmas trees or other combustible items near electricity or fireplaces where they may cause a fire. Keep at least three-foot distance between these items.
Tip 5: Most families want their decorations shown off for as long as possible. The holidays only come around once per year, after all. However, you should never leave decorations lit if you are not at home or when you go to sleep for the night.
Tip 6: Fireplaces add warmth and comfort to a home when it’s cold outside, but they’re dangerous, especially when trees and other decorations go up during the holidays. Ensure a fireplace screen is in place to prevent fires.
Tip 7: Many people prefer real Christmas trees over artificial. While real Christmas trees bring the fresh scent of pine and many more comforts, they’re also dangerous. Water the real tree each day to reduce dryness, which may result in a fire.
Tip 8: Keep kids out of the kitchen while cooking. Preparing such a large, extravagant meal for so many people is stressful and oftentimes, several people take part in the festivities. Children can easily get burnt by the stove, spilled liquids, etc. Keep the mouth and keep them safe.
Tip 9: We love our pets, but the holidays can be stressful for pet owners. If you’re a pet owner, keep Christmas tree ornaments away from the bottom of the tree to prevent animals from grabbing the items from the tree and to prevent them from tipping over the tree.
Tip 10: Be wary of thieves and scams during the holidays even more than you are during other times of the year. Thieves know that people shop and spend lots of money during the holidays and they’re waiting in the background to take anything they can, just as scammers are ready to take from you what they can. Don’t become a victim and be wary of your surroundings, shopping habits, and potential scams.
Have a Holly, Jolly Holiday Season
Keep the holiday safety tips above in mind to ensure a fun, memorable, accident-free season with the people you love the most. Holiday safety is up to us all and as simple as it is to stay, far too easy to risk an accident. This can be the best holiday season ever if you keep safety in mind.
