With the upcoming holidays there comes the desire to decorate our homes for Christmas. Every year it is a family tradition for most of us. Setting up the tree, or going to pick out a tree, and decorating it is always special. Special decorations saved through the years remind us of Christmas’s?past and our loved ones. I can remember when our children were small and we had to put the tree into the play pen in an almost futile attempt to save it from their inquisitive fingers. Oh but to turn back time to when they were small. Our youngest is?nearly grown and our oldest grown and moved away. The years go so fast. Cherish the time you have while they are small. It won’t seem like long until they have grown up and you are left wondering where the years all went to.
Any how I thought I would post this list of Christmas tips to keep everyone as safe as possible. Have fun and be safe while decorating for Christmas.
Every year about 200 homes have fires in them due to dried out Christmas trees.? According the the Consumer Product Safety Commission every November and December there are about 10,000 people treated in emergency rooms with injuries received while decorating for Christmas. This list includes falls, shocks, burns and cuts. The Consumer Product Safety Commission also estimates that there are over 14,000 fires and about 170 deaths each year due to candles. This list is not limited to the holiday season but many of us are more likely to burn candles during the Christmas holiday season.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission offers theses holiday tips.
- Look for a label that says “fire resistant” before buying an artificial tree.
- Before buying a live tree, check for green needles that are difficult to pull from the branches, don’t break when bent and don’t fall off when the tree is tapped on the ground. The tree’s bottom should be sticky with resin.
- Place trees away from fireplaces, radiators and heavy traffic areas in homes.
- For fresh trees, keep the stands filled with water.
- Decorate trees with noncombustible or flame-resistant materials.
- Don’t use artificial icicles made with lead, which is hazardous if ingested by young children.
- Wear gloves when decorating spun glass made to resemble angel hair.
- Follow directions when using artificial snow sprays, which can irritate lungs if used improperly.
- Households with young children should avoid ornaments with small removable parts that could pose a choking hazard.
- Keep candles away from decorations and furniture that can easily catch fire, as well as children and pets. And keep burning candles in sight.
- Use nonflammable candle holders.
- Use newer lights with thick wiring that have been tested by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. Throw out lights with broken or cracked sockets, loose connections, and frayed or bare wires.
- Make sure outdoor lights have been certified for outdoor use.
- Don’t use extension cords unless they are rated for the intended lighting use.
- Never use lights on a metallic tree. This could pose an electrocution hazard if branches become charged with electricity.
- Place a screen around fireplaces, and do not use them to burn wrapping paper or plastic materials.
- Keep fire salts, which produce colored flames, away from children and use caution always. They contain heavy metals that can cause gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting if eaten.