Safety Tips for the Holidays

How to keep your home safe this holiday season.

With the holidays just around the corner its important to educate your family members on how to keep your home safe this holiday season. Household items like candles, glass ornaments, and dry Christmas trees are only a few of the hazards lingering around your house.

The holidays are a fun, celebratory time of year. Spreading joy to everyone you see, using your creative energy to make wonderful treats and decorations, while breaking out new traditions to enjoy year after year. One of the many ways to spend time this holiday season is to decorate. Whether that be decorating cookies in the kitchen, or building ornaments for your Christmas Tree, holiday decorating can be dangerous and lead to big losses from major house fires if activities aren’t safely executed. We want to help ensure you have a safe and happy holiday season. Below are ways you can stay safe and have fun!

There are many ways a house fire can be started around your home during the holidays. Even when its not the holidays there are many ways fires can start There are many hazards added to the house this time of year.  Trees and decorations … lights and candles … parties and events. Did you know that candles a leading cause to house fires during the winter season.   To avoid any injuries by house fire or a guest, check out this link and keep the following in mind :

• Do not hang stockings or tree too close to any heat sources such as the fireplace or space heaters.
• Keep your tree hydrated to avoid dry branches against hot decorative lights.
• Place tree outside a soon as decided to clean up holiday decorations as trees dry out quickly
• Discard any decorations that cause blown fuses
• Keep lit candles out of reach to little children
• Have a designated non-drinker at every party

Beautifully hung lights are a big factor to feeling the holiday magic.  Did you Know that many types of boxed lights have been recalled due to fire risk ?
Check the Health Canada website for the list of items being recalled and have some peace of mind using your lights this season, along with the list below :

• Any lights used for decorating either indoor or outdoor should be CSA approved.
• Unravel your strip of lights even if new and look for any damages to wires, bulbs or plugs.
• Replace light bulbs that are cracked or burnt out.
• Be mindful with the amount of plugs in an outlet. Make sure to only use one plug in per plug.
• Unplug all decorations including lights, and inflatable reindeer prior to going to bed to reduce heat and spark risks

Leibel Insurance Group believes in family fun !  If DIY is your thing, you may already know what is trending for the holidays.  If you are new to DIY, ( many are .. including me ) than you might want to check out the following:

• Handmade cards, tags, or place settings
  A way to entertain with an individual flair is to use leftover wrapping paper, calligraphy and texture by glitter.  People love glitter !! Also, perfect for the Holidays too!
• One of a kind table centerpieces
  Consider using colourful ornaments in a glass vase or simple beads in water.  You can even brave old school votive and twigs.
• Bold colour wreaths
  Bright big colour is in ! ot fluorescent but bright hues that are saturated with light.  Hunter Green is now Emerald Green … Garnett Red is now Ruby Red.
• Hand sewn tree ornaments
  Down to the last stick, embroider your name in a hand sewn star stuff it and add a string.  Lovely ornaments you can use for years to come.
• Brown or newsprint wrapping paper
  These papers are so much fun ! You can draw on them or find an interesting article and recycle at the same time.

There are many websites for holiday projects.  Thinking about how to enjoy the projects safely is important to avoid a loss to your home or an injury with yourself or loved one.  If you have any questions regarding fire risks and how these risks affect your policy, please call us at Leibel Insurance Group.  We love family and are happy to help !

Have a Wonderful and Safe holiday !!