Decorating is one of the best ways to get in a holiday mood, but emergency rooms see thousands of injuries involving holiday decorating every season.
When decorating follow these tips from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:
✅Keep potentially poisonous plants – mistletoe, holly berries, Jerusalem cherry, and amaryllis – away from children.
✅If using an artificial tree, check that it is labeled “fire-resistant”
✅If using a live tree, cut off about 2 inches of the trunk to expose fresh wood for better water absorption, remember to water it and remove it from your home when it is dry.
✅Place your tree at least 3 feet away from fireplaces, radiators, and other heat sources, making certain not to block doorways.
✅Avoid placing breakable ornaments or ones with small, detachable parts on lower tree branches where small children can reach them.
✅Only use indoor lights indoors and outdoor lights outdoors, and choose the right ladder for the task when hanging lights.
✅Replace light sets that have broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections.
✅Follow the package directions on the number of light sets that can be plugged into one socket.
✅Never nail, tack, or stress wiring when hanging lights, and keep plugs off the ground away from puddles and snow
✅Turn off all lights and decorations when you go to bed or leave the house.
