Holiday Decorations & Lights
Every holiday season, thousands of people go to the emergency room with decorating injuries, mostly from falls, and Christmas tree and candle fires cause deadly home fires. A few checks before you decorate prevent most of them.
- Homeowners
- Tenants
- Families
Hanging lights outside
- Use the right ladder, set on firm, level ground, with someone holding it. See Ladder Safety at Home.
- Keep the ladder and lights at least 10 feet from power lines.
- Don’t reach far to the side. Climb down and move the ladder.
- Stay off icy or wet roofs. Hire a pro or use a pole tool from the ground.
- Use plastic clips, not nails or staples, which can cut the wire insulation.
Lights and cords
- Use lights with a testing lab label such as UL or ETL. Red UL labels mean indoor or outdoor; green means indoor only.
- Check every string for cracked sockets, bare wire and loose bulbs. Throw out damaged sets.
- Plug outdoor lights into a GFCI-protected outlet.
- Follow the label limit on how many strings can be connected end to end.
- Use outdoor-rated extension cords outside, and don’t run cords under rugs or through doors. See Extension Cords.
- Turn decorations off when you go to bed or leave home. A timer makes it easy.
Christmas trees
- Live trees: choose a fresh one with green needles that don’t fall off easily. Cut about an inch off the trunk and water it every day. A dry tree can burn in seconds.
- Keep the tree at least 3 feet from fireplaces, space heaters, candles and vents.
- Don’t block exits with the tree.
- Artificial trees: look for “fire resistant” on the label. Don’t use electric lights on metal trees.
- Secure tall trees so kids and pets can’t pull them over.
- Get rid of a live tree after the holidays, or when it’s dry. Don’t leave it in the garage or against the house, and never burn it in the fireplace.
Candles
December is a peak month for home candle fires. Keep candles at least a foot from anything that can burn, use sturdy holders, never leave them burning unattended, and blow them out before bed. Battery candles are safer. See Preventing Home Fires.
Kids and pets
- Keep glass ornaments, small decorations and hooks out of reach of young children.
- Button batteries in remotes, light-up decorations and cards can cause deadly internal burns if swallowed. If you suspect a child swallowed one, go to the ER right away. See Childproofing.
- Mistletoe, holly berries and some other holiday plants can be toxic if eaten. Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
- Tinsel and ribbons can block a pet’s intestines.
Decorating checklist
- Smoke alarms tested before the season starts
- Light strings inspected; damaged sets thrown out
- Outdoor lights on a GFCI outlet with outdoor-rated cords
- Tree watered daily and 3 feet from heat
- Decorations off at bedtime and when you leave
Standards & references
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