Holiday Decorating Safety Tips - Common Accidents to Avoid

As a homeowner you may spend the holidays decorating your home. It’s time off and you have rooms to refresh. Be careful though. Read this article to learn the common accidents to avoid.

Holiday Decorating Safety Tips: How to Avoid Common Accidents

basset hound dog in front of a Christmas tree — Pets and Christmas decorations are sometimes a recipe for disaster, take care. Pet proof your décor

Photo by Maximiliano I. Pinilla A.

Oh, the holidays! It’s that time of year when the air is cool, the lights are bright and our homes are magical. But in all the holiday decorating, safety gets lost in the mix. The last thing you want is for your fun to be ruined by a trip to the ER—yikes! So let’s get into it.

Let’s get to the basics: hanging up those pretty lights and decorations. Whether you’re stringing lights across the porch or reaching for the top of the Christmas tree, a good step ladder is your BFF. Don’t even think about standing on a wobbly chair, stack of books or, heaven forbid, a wobbly table!

Watch Your Step

When using step ladders, make sure it’s on a flat surface. You’d be amazed how many holiday decorators end up in hospital because of falling off the ladders.

Decorating safety tips – Keep three points of contact—two hands and one foot or two feet and one hand—on the ladder at all times. And never climb above the highest recommended step. Remember, nobody wants to end up decking the halls… from the ground.

Check the Lights Before You Hang ‘Em

Photo by Pavel Danilyuk

We love the soft glow of holiday lights but tangled wires and faulty bulbs can turn that glow into a fire hazard. Before draping those lights across the mantel or around the tree, inspect every strand. Check for frayed wires, cracked bulbs and damaged plugs. If anything looks sketchy, toss it and get a new set.

Also, use outdoor lights outside and indoor lights inside—don’t mix them up! Outdoor lights are designed for wet, cold conditions and indoor lights are for cosy, dry spaces. And please don’t overload your extension cords. Each cord has a limit so read the label and play it safe. Too many plugs in one outlet? You’re asking for sparks to fly—and not the romantic kind.

Keep Flammable Decor Away from Heat Sources

We all have that one aunt who loves candles—like, a lot. While they add to the ambiance, open flames are no joke. Keep candles away from curtains, tablecloths and other flammable decorations. If you have pets or little ones running around, consider flameless LED candles; they give the same warm glow without the risk.

It’s not just candles you need to watch out for—keep all decorations away from fireplaces, space heaters and radiators. Ever seen tinsel catch fire? It’s not pretty and it won’t make your holiday merry and bright.

Water Your Tree (It’s Thirsty!)

Real Christmas trees are beautiful but they dry out fast. A dry tree is a fire waiting to happen so keep it watered. Make sure it drinks about a gallon of water a day for the first few days and then about a quart a day thereafter.

When choosing a spot for your tree, place it away from heat sources like fireplaces and radiators. Also, don’t block any exits—you never know when you might need to make a quick escape! And if you’re going with an artificial tree, make sure it’s labelled “fire-resistant.” It won’t guarantee safety but it will reduce the risk.

Anchor Your Outdoor Decorations

Blow-up snowmen, reindeer and inflatable Santas look great on the lawn—until a strong gust of wind sends them rolling down the street. When setting up outdoor decorations, use sturdy stakes or tethers to keep everything in place.

If you’re using spotlights to highlight your decor, make sure the bulbs are weather-resistant and the cords are outdoor rated. Wet, exposed wires are dangerous. Always use a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) to prevent electric shock from outdoor lighting and decorations.

Don’t forget to turn everything off when you’re not home and especially when you go to bed. After all, you don’t want your holiday spirit to be as fleeting as a power surge!

Don’t Drink and Decorate

Let’s be real: we’ve all thought about having a little eggnog before we start trimming the tree. But decorating drunk? No good. One of the vital decorating safety tips is stay away from your tipple if you plan to decorate.

Whether it’s a buzz from mulled wine or spiked cider, alcohol impairs your judgement and you’ll need all your wits about you when handling fragile ornaments or hanging stockings above the fireplace.

Save the drinks for the after-party. Get your decorating done first then reward yourself with a glass of something festive. You’ll thank yourself later especially if you manage to keep your tree upright and your decorations in one piece.

Childproofing: Keep Little Hands Safe

If you have kids you know that anything shiny is automatically irresistible. Those glass ornaments, tinsel and garlands can be super tempting for little hands. Hang breakable ornaments higher up on the tree out of reach from young children (and maybe even the dog).

When it comes to cords, use cord covers or tape to secure them to the floor and walls. Loose cords are not only tripping hazards but also attractive nuisances for little ones who love to tug. If you’re using small decorations, keep them out of reach—those mini Santas and reindeer are cute but they’re also choking hazards.

Pet-Proof Your Décor

Pets are like toddlers when it comes to holiday décor—fascinated by anything shiny, dangly or edible. Cats in particular have a vendetta against Christmas trees. To prevent pets from knocking over the tree, anchor it to the wall using a fishing line or a discreet hook.

Keep toxic plants like poinsettias, mistletoe and holly out of reach from your furry friends. If you’re using edible decorations (like popcorn garlands or candy canes) make sure they’re higher up on the tree. You don’t want Fluffy having a midnight snack on potentially harmful items.

Don’t Overload the Outlets

It’s easy to want to plug all your lights, blow-ups and electronic decorations into one outlet but that’s a recipe for disaster. One of the vital holiday decorating safety tips especially for Christmas is careful about your power points. Overloading an outlet can cause sparks, short circuits or even an electrical fire. Use surge protectors or power strips and spread the load across multiple outlets.

For those of you living in older homes with fewer outlets don’t use plug splitters. If you’re unsure about your home’s electrical capacity consult a licensed electrician before plugging in multiple light strands or other energy-intensive decorations.

Handle with Care

Christmas candle with a lit flame — Take care with lit candles around the home – they are a fire risk

Photo by Nubia Navarro (nubikini)

Much understated but really important are the decorating safety tips related to your delicate ornaments. We all have those special ornaments that have been passed down from Grandma and they deserve a prime spot on the tree. But handling glass or ceramic decorations requires extra care.

Use a gentle touch and make sure your tree is stable before hanging anything heavy. If one of these fragile heirlooms falls and breaks, clean it up immediately if you have kids or pets running around.

If you’re worried about breakables but still want that old world charm consider shatterproof ornaments. They come in various designs and even better they bounce instead of break.

Have a Plan

No one likes to think about emergencies during the holidays but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Make sure smoke alarms are working and everyone in the house knows where the fire extinguisher is. Have a basic first aid kit on hand for minor cuts or burns (hot glue guns, anyone?).

Also have an emergency evacuation plan in place just in case. Whether it’s a fire, electrical short or some other mishap, knowing how to get out safely is key. You don’t want to be figuring it out in a panic.

That’s it – All our Decorating Safety Tips in Summary

So there you have it—your holiday safety guide and our decorating safety tips! The holidays are about fun, laughter and time with loved ones not trips to urgent care or calls to the fire department. Remember these and you’ll have a holly, jolly and safe holiday. Happy decorating!