Christmas is a time of piece and joy. However, it's also a time when every home is decorated with lights and other electronic devices, that might be of potential danger under certain conditions. However, it's nothing to be concerned about if you take a few simple precautions and regularly check if everything is all right. This article will help you.

Christmas tree

• Make sure you buy a live tree that's fresh. You can test this by tapping the tree on the ground and see if green needles fall down. Don't put the tree inside unless you're ready to decorate it.
• Keep the tree at least 3 metres away from potentially dangerous locations, such as the fireplace, radiators or floor heaters.
• If the tree is wobbly, position it better in the stand and redo the screws and bolts. If it still doesn't help, consider getting a bigger tree stand. You should also secure it with wires to prevent it from tipping over.
• Clean the tree stand before the holidays for improved water intake.
• After the holidays are over, make sure you dispose the tree properly. Never ever try to burn the tree in the fireplace.

Ornaments

• If you have kids, it's in your best interest to get bigger ornaments where tiny parts cannot fall off and swallowed. Put smaller ornaments out of reach. Try to keep an eye on the kids when they're playing around the tree.

Christmas lights

• Recheck your light strings every year and discard the ones that don't work anymore.
• It's a good idea to turn off the christmas lights while you're asleep and especially if you leave your home. You may use an automatic timer or even a motion detector that turns the electricity for the lights on and off.
• In the outdoor areas, use only lights that were designed for exterior use.
• Make sure the bulbs are fastened securely and that the socket is pointing down to avoid moisture build up. Unplug any lights before changing the bulbs.
• Never use light strings on metal fake trees.
• Wrap plastic bags around light strand connections and tie their ends with Teflon tape.

Candles

• Never put candles on trees, even if they are artificial.
• Where possible, put the candles into containers where there's water surrounding them. Make sure there's nothing above that could ignite due to the flame or fall on top.

Electrical connectors

• Keep outdoor electrical connectors above ground, especially out of puddles and snow.
• Never use extension cords intended for interiors outside.
• At Christmas, there are lots of extra electronic devices used. Avoid overloading wall outlets.

General safety

• Recheck and put new batteries in your smoke detectors or install new ones.
• Make sure that there's a working fire extenguisher in an easily accessible place.