Emergency rooms nationwide treat around 8,000 people each year for holiday-related injuries. Causes of injuries range from falls and fires to cuts and shocks from decorating lights and trees.

Safety Tips

Live trees

Live trees should be fresh, with pliable needles that don't detach easily. Avoid trees with dry branches and needles that shed easily.

Setting up trees

Set up any tree away from fireplaces, radiators, space heaters and candles to minimize your risk of accidental fire.

Artificial trees

Make sure that artificial trees are marked "fire resistant."

Decorative lights

Check decorative lights for loose or frayed wires, broken sockets, or cracked bulbs. If you have any doubts at all regarding the safety of your lights, replace them.

Turn lights off

Turn lights off when you leave home. Always extinguish candles or other flames when you are away.

Choking hazard

Follow recommended age ranges on toy packages. Young children can choke on toys with small parts.

Watch the kids

Children will consider any unattended item a toy to be explored. Don't leave hazardous objects or sharp items where children can reach them.

Hot foods

At parties or gathering, even hot foods can be a danger to children. Keep any heated dishes or stove pots away from table edges or any place where children can disturb them or knock them off.