Christmas Safety Tips to Ensure a Happy Holiday

If you celebrate Christmas and are looking to decorate for the holidays, here are some important tips to keep in mind to ensure a safe and happy holiday season for you, your family, and your pets.

If you’re using a fresh Christmas tree:
The National Christmas Tree Association has a great site dedicated to information for you about proper Christmas tree care. Here are a few important highlights from their tree care guide:

1. Always make a fresh cut straight across your tree’s trunk, about a half inch to an inch from the bottom.
2. Get your tree into fresh water as soon as possible! Provide 1 quart of water per inch in diameter of the base of the trunk
3. Keep your tree away from heaters, fireplaces, heat vents, direct sunlight or other heat generating areas so as to avoid fires and excessive drying.
4. Always turn off your tree lights when you go to bed or leave the house.
5. Never burn any part of your Christmas tree indoors.
6. When your tree has dried out, recycle it.

If you’re using a fake Christmas tree:

1. Follow the same precautions as with a real tree in regard to keeping your tree away from heat sources.
2. Never put electric lights on a metal tree. This could be dangerous.
3. Be sure that you store your tree in an airtight plastic bag off of the floor in a dry area during the rest of the year to prevent mold and dust mites.
4. If your tree is old and visibly dusty or making your allergies flare up, it may be time to invest in a new one. The price is well worth your health.

If you have pets (Many thanks to Nel Liquormen from The Dog Press for this helpful info.): Many of these tips can apply to small children as well, so be on the lookout for these avoidable problems.

1. NO TINSEL! Tinsel is like a magnet for cats and dogs. They love to chew on it, and if they swallow any, it can actually slice their intestines and cause horrible complications or even death.
2. Be wary of the water your tree is sitting in. When sap mixes with the water, your pet may want to take a sip, but the chemicals that the tree was treated with (especially fake spray-on snow or glitter) can taint the water and make your pet sick.
3. Don’t hang any ornaments that could pose as choking hazards on the low branches of your tree. Any wire hooks or other small, jagged pieces can be very risky.
4. Watch out for other Christmas plants. Poinsettias are poisonous as well as any type of lilies, mistletoe, Christmas cactus and holly. Symptoms range from mild stomach upset to much, much worse.
5. Be careful with foods containing chocolate, alcohol, grapes/raisins, or onions. These are all dangerous to pets.
6. Any other holiday decorations like candles, potpourris or plastic wrap should be kept out of reach at all times.