Christmas
Christmas lights and decorations around the neighborhood look wonderful but it is important to make sure you are decorating safely. Christmas trees can catch fire easily, even artificial trees. Make sure they are kept away from candles, fireplaces or heaters. If you have a real tree, make sure it is kept watered and healthy to help prevent fires, and falling needles which make a mess! Tinsel and other tree ornaments can be a choking hazard for small children or pets. Be sure to keep them out of the reach of small children. If you have children who pull ornaments off the tree, or an animal that will knock them off, it may be smart to not decorate the bottom part of your tree. Before you put lights on a tree, make sure you check the connections on all the bulbs. Look for frayed cords and broken bulbs. Throw away any strings that contains damage.
Christmas can also pose a possibility of theft to your home or car. While you are shopping, be sure to stay alert to your surroundings and be cautious walking into parking lots alone. If you are alone and the parking lot is dark, most malls have security that can escort you to your car. Be sure to always carry purses, wallets and money in safe places and not to display large shopping bags in the car in a parking lot. Place bags in a truck or hidden in the car and carry small amounts of cash with you. At home, do not display presents under a tree that is in easy view of windows. Also, on Christmas morning after all the presents are opened, do not advertise gifts by placing a stack of empty boxes by the road. If you are away from home, ask a neighbor to watch over your home and pick up any mail and/or packages that may be dropped off. A timer to turn on and off lights is also a good way to make your home not appear empty.
Take caution this holiday season and make sure they are safe and full of wonderful memories. Just remember the 3P's for safety - Prepare, Plan and Prevent.
Prepare - Have smoke alarms, decorate safely and always closely monitor cooking food.
Plan - Organize family members or friends to shop with you. Visit stores close together so you are not storing large amounts of presents in the car and pay attention to time so you are not walking into dark parking lots. Also, plan out a time to do shopping early instead of at the last minute in the middle of chaos.
Prevent - Use a fireplace screen to protect your tree from flying sparks and keep heaters and candles away from decorations. Keep lights on in your home when you are away. Have neighbors check for packages and go inside your home to help it not appear empty. Keep decorations away from children and animals and be sure that you are not putting empty boxes on the streets so everyone knows the presents your family received this year.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8066249
