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Holiday Safety Tips

Holiday Safety Tips are important to understand and follow in order to prevent accidents and to enjoy a safe holiday season. With so many gatherings taking place, it’s not hard to lose track of all the people around you as well as decorations, fireplaces, candles, and so on. Below you’ll find some tips from the Mayo Clinic to help you keep you and your family safe during this holiday season.

Children are often the victims of holiday-related injuries given their curiosity about bright and sparkly items and the sometimes-preoccupied parent. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that each year, these trinkets are responsible for more than 12,000 emergency room visits due to falls, cuts, and shocks.

Keep these holiday safety tips in mind:

1. Manage your Christmas tree

If you have a real tree, ensure the tree stand is always filled with water so the tree doesn’t dry out and pose an increased fire hazard. If you buy an artificial tree, make sure it is made from fire-retardant material. Make sure the stand is flat on the ground, and decorate the tree to distribute weight equally.

2. Keep flames away

Don’t leave children alone in a room with lighted candles, matches, lighters, fireplaces, or any other flame or heat sources.

3. Watch for tempting seasonal decor

Keep decorations out of reach of children and secured to the wall. Any object small enough to fit through a toilet paper tube can obstruct a child’s airway. Closely supervise children if they’re helping you decorate, especially when handling lighting, ornaments, and breakable objects.

4. Keep plants out of little hands.

Keep mistletoe, holly berries, and poinsettias out of reach of children, as each is toxic when ingested.

5. Remember electricity safety

Use power strips with built-in circuit breakers. Avoid putting too many plugs into one electrical outlet. Keep cords out of the way or behind furniture, and insert electrical outlet covers into unused outlets. Purchase lights with the UL Listed mark, which certifies that the product has been tested to meet safety requirements.

6. Find safe toys

Make sure your children’s toys are age-appropriate and the batteries cannot be easily removed. Batteries shaped like disks, or button batteries, pose a choking risk to young children. Avoid placing gifts under the tree that contain glass, perfume, cologne, poisonous substances, or sharp materials.

7. Bundle up and use safety gear

Dress children properly for the weather, making sure that their hands, feet, and heads are covered. Supervise children and make sure they wear the correct safety gear for sledding, skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, and other outdoor activities.

8. Monitor alcohol in the home

Keep alcohol out of reach of children. Quickly clean up leftover drinks.

Following holiday safety tips, including carefully inspecting your home and handling any safety hazards can ensure you, your children, your family, and your guests have a happy and safe holiday season. Get additional safety information for you and your family from the Mayo Clinic.