8 tips for a safe and healthy holiday season

From home decorating and road trips to baking cookies and getting ready for guests, the holidays can be busy!

Here are eight ways to help make them safe and healthy.

Practice fire safety

Are your holiday lights in danger of overloading your electrical outlets? And would you believe that more than 40% of home fires caused by holiday decorations happen because the decorations are placed too close to a heat source? It’s true, the National Fire Protection Association says, adding that one-third of those fires are started by candles. To make your holiday decor safer:

• Pick decorations that are flame resistant or flame retardant.
• Consider using flameless candles.
• Keep lit candles away from children, pets and decorations.
• Replace string lights that show signs of wear or have broken cords or bulbs.
• Place trees at least 3 feet away from fireplaces, radiators and other sources of heat.
• Make sure artificial trees are labeled “fire resistant.”
• Don’t let live trees dry out; water them often.
• Place a screen in front of your fireplace.
• Blow out candles and turn off electric decorations when you go to bed.

Shop safe

If you’ll be gift-shopping in stores instead of online this year, here are things you can do to help keep your experience safe:

• Shop during daylight hours, if possible, and try not to shop alone.
• Don’t wear expensive jewelry or carry large amounts of cash or other valuables.
• Always park in a well-lit area.
• Stay aware of your surroundings. If you see people loitering around garages, parking lots or outside stores, look for somewhere else to park.
• Lock your vehicle and close its windows, even if you plan to be gone for only a few minutes.
• Keep packages, gifts and valuables locked in the trunk or in a secure compartment where they can’t be seen.
• Make sure your purse, bags and other items stay within your sight at all times.
• Carry your keys in your hand when heading to your vehicle.
• Look around and inside the vehicle before getting in. Watch for any suspicious people, vehicles or situations. If you feel unsafe, go back inside and call your local law enforcement agency.

Cook up kitchen safety

Baking cookies, planning a traditional family feast … so much of our time can be spent in the kitchen this time of year. But cooking is the leading cause of residential fires. Help prevent fires and burns with these cooking tips from the U.S. Fire Administration:

• Fires can start when the stove heat is too high. If you see smoke or grease starts to boil, turn off the burner.
• Don’t cook while tired or under the influence of alcohol or drugs – you need to be awake and alert.
• Wear short sleeves or roll up long sleeves. You don’t want them catching on fire.
• Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove so you don’t bump them or tip them over.
• Place dish towels, bags, boxes, paper and curtains away from flames.
• Keep children and pets at least 3 feet away from hot stoves.

Decorate with diligence

Injuries involving holiday decorating sent an estimated 17,500 people to emergency rooms in 2018, according to the latest data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Follow these tips to avoid a trip to the hospital:

• Handle with care all decorations that are sharp, weighted or breakable.
• Check that string lights have been approved by a safety testing laboratory, and look them over for signs of damage. Keep an eye out for broken sockets, frayed or exposed wires, and loose connections.
• Don’t overload extension cords and power strips, and ensure all cords carry the approval of a safety testing laboratory.

Will you be using a ladder or stepladder? The American Ladder Institute says to:

• Consider how high you’ll be climbing and the weight load of the ladder, and then pick the proper ladder for the task.
• Place the base of the ladder on a firm surface that isn’t slippery, wet or soft.
• Maintain three points of contact when climbing, with two hands and one foot or two feet and one hand.
• If you’ll be using an extension ladder, make sure it extends 3 feet above the roof or platform being reached.
• Wear slip-resistant shoes to help reduce the risk of slipping or falling.
• Try to avoid walking across your roof to hang decorations. If you must access the roof, make sure the top of your extension ladder extends 1 to 3 feet higher than the roof eave that’s going to support the top of the ladder.

The Electrical Safety Foundation International has some additional decorating tips:

• Plug decorations into circuits that are protected by ground fault circuit interrupters.
• Fasten lights to trees or the house to protect them from the wind.
• Keep decorations at least 10 feet away from power lines.
• Be careful not to damage the cord’s insulation, and make sure cords aren’t caught in doors or windows or under heavy objects.

Protect your pets

The holidays can be a hazardous time for your pets, too. Help keep them safe by following this list of “don’ts” from the American Veterinary Medical Association:

• Don’t share people food with pets. Chocolate, grapes, macadamia nuts, onions and any items that have the artificial sweetener xylitol are particularly toxic.
• Don’t allow your pet access to rooms that you’ve just cleaned, unless the cleaning product you used is labeled as being pet safe.
• Don’t leave household plants or flowers where pets can get to them. Poinsettias can irritate your pet’s mouth and stomach, and may cause vomiting. Even a small amount of lilies can cause severe kidney damage. Holly and mistletoe can upset their intestines.
• Don’t let your pets near toys children have opened. They can easily digest the small pieces that may have been left lying around.
• Don’t leave your pets unsupervised around tinsel, ribbon or ornaments. These items can be extremely hazardous and, if swallowed, may require surgery to remove.

Drive safely

Are you planning to travel to see friends or family? If so, you’ll want to follow these tips from the National Safety Council:

• Get your vehicle tuned up for winter driving conditions.
• Keep an emergency preparedness kit in your vehicle.
• Make sure to get a good night’s sleep before you leave.
• Buckle up.
• Put your cellphone away and practice defensive driving.
• Designate a sober driver if you plan to drink or take medications that can make you drowsy.

With COVID-19 still a concern, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers the following guidance for people who’ll be traveling:

• Get tested with a viral test one to three days before your trip.
• Avoid crowds and stay at least 6 feet from anyone who’s not traveling with you, if possible.
• Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol).
• Everyone – even people who are fully vaccinated – is required to wear a mask on public transportation.
• Stay home and self-quarantine for seven days after traveling.

Prepare for company

If you’ll be hosting a holiday gathering, planning and preparation are essential to keeping your guests safe.

Inside, you’ll want to make sure any extension cords you’re using to power decorations are placed out of walkways. Pick up rugs, blankets, toys or other items that could be tripping hazards. Then, make sure your home’s hallways and entertaining rooms are brightly lit – this goes for your doorway and front porch, too.

As for outside, make sure driveways, sidewalks and steps are clear of snow and ice. Follow these shoveling and snowblowing safety tips:

• Warm up for a few minutes and stretch your muscles before heading outside.
• Wear layers so you can remove some if you get too warm. Also, put on gloves or mittens, a hat, a mask or scarf, and waterproof footwear.
• Take a break in a warm, dry place after 15 minutes.
• Make sure you use the right shovel for removing snow. According to the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety, the handle of your snow shovel should reach your chest “to reduce the amount of forward bending.” A D-shaped handle is ideal to avoid putting your wrist in awkward positions.
• Push the snow to the sides instead of lifting it, and don’t overload the shovel – wet snow can be extremely heavy.
• Don’t leave a snowblower unattended while the power is on, and don’t put gas in it while the engine is running.

Be well

Research has shown that the stress of the season can bring on heart attacks – and that some people hesitate to seek treatment because they don’t want to disrupt the festivities. Shortness of breath; pressure or pain in your chest; lightheadedness; and/or pain in your arm, shoulder or neck are common symptoms of a heart attack. If you’re experiencing any of them, go to the ER.

And of course the COVID-19 pandemic is still with us. The CDC recently updated its guidance on enjoying another holiday season while taking precautions:

• Protect young children and others who aren’t yet approved for a vaccine by encouraging eligible people around them to get vaccinated.
• Wear well-fitting masks over your nose and mouth if you’re in public indoor settings, especially if you aren’t fully vaccinated.
• Remember that outdoor gatherings are safer than indoor ones.
• Avoid crowded, poorly ventilated spaces.
• If you’re sick or have symptoms, don’t host or attend a gathering.
• Get tested before you go anywhere if you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have had close contact with someone who has it.