Holiday Safety: Tips to Keep Your Season Merry and Bright

Practical tips to protect your home, your family, and your holiday spirit this season.

As we enter the Christmas season, our lives fill with the excitement of decorations, traditions, delicious food, and long-awaited gatherings and events.

However, the holidays also bring a faster pace, extra expectations and stress, and more than a few perils we often overlook. As a result, the rate of accidents and injuries typically increases during this time of year.

Let’s consider how a nod to safety in our homes, kitchens, and during holiday travel can help support our holiday cheer.

1. Make Home Safety a Priority

Walkways:

Clear exterior walkways of snow and ice.
Secure loose rugs and electrical cords and keep interior pathways free of holiday clutter.
Keep all walkways and stairways well-lit.

Decorations:

Decorating is one of the great joys of Christmas, but it’s also a time when preventable home hazards tend to rise. Before you plug in those lights or set up the tree, take a quick look around:
Check your lights. Look for frayed cords, damaged bulbs, or loose connections. Replace anything that looks worn. Use indoor and outdoor products correctly: Indoor lights belong inside, and outdoor lights belong outside. Each is designed for specific conditions.
Water your live tree. A dry tree can become a fire hazard in just a few days. Add water daily to reduce your risk.
Store and display seasonal items safely, especially sharp gift-wrapping tools, breakable ornaments, and batteries. Pay particular attention to holiday decorations and plants that can cause injury to pets and small children.

Fire prevention

Avoid overloading outlets. Use surge protectors and connect your decorations to different circuits.
Blow out candles. Even a moment of distraction can lead to a candle-related fire. Supervise candles or consider using flameless alternatives.
Ensure you have working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home.
If you’re heating with alternate sources, ensure they are working properly and operated safely.

These small steps can help you keep your home festive and safe all season long.

2. Cook With Care During the Busiest Kitchen Season

December is full of delicious meals and family baking traditions. It’s also a month when kitchen accidents tend to rise. The following tips can help avoid these accidents:

Never leave cooking food unattended. Even stepping away for “just a minute” can be dangerous.
Keep children and pets out of high-traffic cooking areas. A clear, safe space prevents burns and spills.
Turn pot handles inward. This simple step protects curious kids (and adults) from accidentally knocking over hot pans.
Cooking is one of the leading causes of accidental home fires during the holidays. Keep your kitchen appliances in good repair and attend to them regularly when in use.

3. Watch the Roads and Plan Ahead

Holiday errands, visiting family, winter weather, and busy schedules make December a risky month on the roads. The following tips can help you reduce your chances of an accident:

Give yourself extra travel time.
Drive more slowly in winter conditions.
Avoid distractions like texting and unnecessary calls while driving.
Ensure your car is in working condition with a winter-ready battery, tires, fluids, and wipers. Prepare your vehicle with emergency supplies such as blankets, a flashlight, and a first-aid kit, just in case.
Never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Avoid driving when tired.

Planning ahead for winter travel will help everyone get to and from home safely. A few minutes of preparation can make all the difference.

The Moultrie County Health Department wishes you and your loved ones a joyful, peaceful, and safe Christmas season.