Holiday decorations make a home feel festive, but trees, lights and candles also cause fires and injuries every year. These simple checks, based on guidance from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), help you decorate safely.
Christmas Trees
- Pick a fresh tree. Fresh trees are green, the needles are hard to pull off and bend without breaking, and the trunk is sticky with resin. If lots of needles fall when you bounce the trunk on the ground, it’s too dry.
- Cut about two inches off the trunk and keep the stand filled with water. A dry tree catches fire much more easily.
- Keep it away from heat: fireplaces, radiators and space heaters.
- Artificial trees: look for a “fire resistant” label.
- Keep it out of walkways, and secure tall trees so they can’t tip over.
Lights
- Use lights with a label from an independent testing lab, such as UL or ETL.
- Inspect every set, new or old, for cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Throw out damaged sets.
- Don’t overload. CPSC advises connecting no more than three standard-size sets together, and not overloading outlets.
- Use outdoor-rated lights outside.
- Turn lights off when you go to bed or leave the house.
- Never put electric lights on a metal tree.
Candles
- Never leave a burning candle unattended. Blow it out when you leave the room.
- Keep candles away from trees, greenery, curtains and wrapping paper.
- Use sturdy holders that won’t tip over.
- Consider flameless LED candles, especially with kids or pets around.
Fireplaces
- Clear away greenery, stockings and paper before lighting a fire.
- Never burn wrapping paper in the fireplace. It can cause a sudden flash fire.
- Keep the screen closed while the fire is burning.
Kids and Pets
- Keep breakable ornaments and ones with small parts up high.
- Avoid decorations that look like food or candy around young children.
- Tuck cords out of reach of chewing pets.
Ladders
When hanging lights outside, use a sturdy ladder on level ground, and have someone hold it. Many holiday decorating injuries come from falls.
The Bottom Line
Water the tree, check your lights, never leave candles burning alone, and turn everything off at bedtime. A few minutes of checking keeps the season merry and safe.
Official sources