Christmas Content // Top Tips for Staying Safe When Decorating for Christmas

Christmas is fast approaching and over the next few weeks you’ll start to see an influx of Christmas lights and decorations all around. There’s something truly magical about the run up to Christmas, especially when you have younger children involved! With all of the excitement of this wonderful time of year, however, there are some important things to consider keeping yourself safe during the preparation stages.

Safe Tree Positioning
Whilst it may seem like an obvious thing to consider, many people choose to position their Christmas trees in an area that looks good, without considering the potential risks that may be in that certain space. Take a quick risk assessment on the room you’re positioning your tree in, and select an area of the room that is far away from any heat sources. The last thing you want is for your Christmas tree to catch on fire from the fireplace or a large number of plugs, so be sure to check that the area is safe first. It’s also important to make sure that your tree isn’t blocking any exits, as you don’t want to be stuck in a room if you need to use that door for an emergency.

Fire Resistant Labels
Purchasing new Christmas decorations is always exciting, especially when you get yourself a new tree or garland to go around the fireplace. One of the most important things to consider when purchasing, however, is that the items have fire resistant tags attached to them. If you invest your money into a fire resistant artificial tree or garland, then you can rest assured that the lights and decorations will be safe to use on the item. Purchasing products without this label run the risk of being hazardous which is not what you want when adding warm lights to them and leaving them running for a long period of time.

Keep Candles Safe
One of the most popular Christmas decorations is by far the candle, with so many gorgeous designs available that transform your home into a warm and welcoming wonderland. Candles can also be very dangerous, so it’s very important to make sure you position them in safe, secure places that are out of reach of children and far away from other objects. You should never sit a candle below a hanging object, or on a side that could easily be knocked or touched by little ones. By keeping your candles out of reach and in a safe position, you can enjoy them properly without having to worry about any potential accidents.

Use a Ladder
It’s so important to use a ladder when it comes to hanging lights and other decorations around your house. Whether it’s indoor or outdoor, you should always have someone holding the ladder whilst also making sure the ladder is in a safe position to hold your weight. Using a step ladder to hang bunting and other Christmas decorations in your home will simply help you to reach difficult areas, without having to balance on the arm of the sofa or a chair that isn’t quite stable enough to keep you safe.

Check Lights for Damage
Whether you’re using new lighting, or you unpacked the lights from last year, it’s always important to check them for any damage. The majority of Christmas lights are designed with glass bulbs, so you want to make sure there are no broken or chipped bulbs before you switch them on. Once you’re sure the bulbs are intact and safe to use, you can test that they actually work before adding them to your tree or other areas of the home.