Twinkly lights, candles, holiday trees and plants, ornaments and other decorations are a popular part of holiday celebrations. Besides being festive and fun, the decorations your family brings out every year can help children feel connected to family traditions.
When decorating for the holidays, keep these safety tips in mind:
- When choosing a live tree, check for freshness. The needles should be hard to pull off, and should not break when you bend them. When you tap the tree on the ground, only a few needles should fall off. Cut a few inches off the bottom of the trunk before putting it in the stand, and be sure to keep the stand filled with water.
- If you have an artificial tree, make sure it's labeled "fire resistant."
- When you set up a tree at home, place it away from fireplaces, radiators or portable heaters. Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways. Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials to trim a tree.
- Check all lights before hanging them on a tree or in your home, even if you have just purchased them. Make sure all the bulbs work and that there are no frayed wires, broken sockets or loose connections.
- Be cautious about trimmings that may contain lead. Choose tinsel or artificial icicles of plastic or nonleaded materials. Light strands may contain lead in the bulb sockets and wire coating, sometimes in high amounts. Make sure your lights are out of reach of young children who might try to put lights in their mouths, and wash your hands after handling them.
- Keep children away from button batteries and lithium coin batteries, which can cause life-threatening injuries if swallowed. Secure battery compartments in electronic toys, string lights, flameless candles, light up necklaces and musical ornaments and books, for example. Wrap small batteries in tape before disposing of them.
- Before using lights outdoors, check labels to be sure they have been certified for outdoor use. To hold lights in place, string them through hooks or insulated staples, not nails or tacks. Never pull or tug lights to remove them. Plug all outdoor electric decorations into circuits with ground fault circuit interrupters to avoid potential shocks.
- When lighting candles, remove flammable materials from the area. Place the candles where they will not be knocked over, but never leave a burning candle unattended. Do not use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens.
See Holiday Fire Safety.
- In homes with small children, avoid decorations that are sharp or breakable. Keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children to prevent them from swallowing or inhaling small pieces. Avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt a young child to eat them.
- Wear gloves to avoid eye and skin irritation while decorating with spun glass "angel hair." Follow container directions carefully to avoid lung irritation while decorating with artificial snow sprays.
- Remove all wrapping papers, bags, paper, ribbons and bows from tree and fireplace areas after gifts are opened. These items can pose suffocation and choking hazards to a small child, or can cause a fire if near flame.
- Place potentially poisonous holiday plant decorations out of reach of children. This includes mistletoe berries, Jerusalem cherry, and holly berry. Contact Poison Control if you suspect a poisoning. Call 1-800-222-1222.
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