One of the best parts of the holiday season is decorating your home and office with brightly-colored ornaments, twinkling holiday lights, and shimmering tinsel. You can even bring in evergreen trees to enliven a corner of the room and fill the air with an inviting scent.
Holiday decorations can bring excitement and a sense of tradition to a space, but you need to be mindful of a few safety precautions associated with seasonal décor.
The following are examples of holiday decorating efforts that have turned perilous:
- Ladder fiascos – A ladder is a necessity when you are decorating your house for the holidays. You use it to hang lights, garlands, and wreaths, but you need to be sure that you use it safely. Have someone at the bottom to keep it steady. Don’t reach for things while on the ladder, as this could result in a nasty fall that leaves you hurting and miserable for the holidays.
- Electrical overloads – Holiday lights are beautiful, especially when viewed at night. If you feel like you need to “keep up with the Jones’,” try to resist the urge to go overboard with Christmas lights. Overloaded circuit breakers can start a fire, and a frayed wire can also cause electrocution. Be conscious of how much you are plugging in, so you avoid overwhelming your outlets. Plus, limiting your lights will also help you keep a lower electrical bill.
- Flame Fiascos – Flames play an important role during the holiday season. If you live in an area where it gets cold, nothing feels better than to cozy up to a fire in your fireplace. You might also want to light up the candles and menorahs as part of your celebration. Don’t leave these flames unattended because, if bumped, they can cause a house fire. Keep an eye on the flames, and put them out before leaving the house or going to bed.
- Tree lights – Sparkling tree lights are a beautiful sight at night; however, do not leave those lights on overnight, especially when people go to bed. Turn them off before you sleep to avoid any risk of fire. If you can’t remember to turn off the lights when you go to bed, automatic timers are an excellent way to make sure that your house stays safe while you sleep. These timers turn the lights on and off at your desired times, so you don’t have to worry about remembering.
- Choking hazards – Nuts, small toys, and candies are in abundance during the holidays. Not only are they good to eat, but a bowl of them set out on the table makes for a nice decoration. Unfortunately, these small items are choking hazards, especially to children and pets. If you have animals or little ones around, think twice about leaving them out for the taking.
Decorating with care will allow you to stay safe so you can focus on celebrating with loved ones.
