The holiday season is a wonderful time for family, fun — and festive decorating. But as lights go up, trees come in, and candles glow, the risk of fire, electric shock or simple accidents increases. As your local insurance agency, we want to help you enjoy the holidays — without the worry. Here are some important tips to decorate safely this season.
✅ Plan Ahead — Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute
- Before you start hanging lights or plugging in decorations, plan your display around how many outlets you have. Avoid overloading circuits.
- Use lights and decorations that have been safety-tested and certified by nationally recognized labs (like UL, CSA, ETL).
- If you plan to connect multiple light strings, follow the packaging’s instructions — do not exceed the maximum number allowed.
- Before using any lights or electrical decorations (even if stored from prior years), inspect for cracked sockets, frayed cords, loose wires, or other damage. Damaged items should be replaced — reusing them risks fire or shock.
🏠 Decorating Safely — Indoors and Outdoors
- For outdoor lighting and displays: keep all decorations, cords, and yourself at least 10 feet away from power lines.
- Use proper ladders (wood or fiberglass) — never metal ladders — when installing outdoor decor, especially around power.
- Always plug outdoor lights into ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets when possible. This helps reduce the risk of electrical shock.
- Secure lights and cords so wind or weather can’t damage them. Never staple or nail through cords — which can damage insulation and create hazards and instead use plastic clips or other designs.
🔥 Manage Fire & Candle Risks
- If you use candles, consider switching to battery-operated or flameless versions — much safer around curious kids and pets.
- Never leave lit candles unattended, and extinguish them before leaving the room or going to sleep.
- If you have a real Christmas tree, maintain plenty of water in its stand, and place it well away from fireplaces, radiators, vents, or other heat sources — to help prevent drying and reduce fire risk.
👶 Keep Kids & Pets Safe
- Avoid using decorations with small parts, sharp edges, or that could break — especially if you have children or pets. Small ornaments, artificial “angel hair,” or fake-snow sprays can be dangerous if ingested or inhaled.
- Make sure tree stands, lights, and other decorations are stable — avoid situations where a child or pet could bump into them, tipping over fragile or heavy items.
📦 Store With Caution — Don’t Let Safety Fade in January
- Before storing away decorations, inspect them again: discard any with cracked sockets, frayed wires, or broken parts.
- Store decorations in a dry, stable place — away from heat sources, flames, and out of reach of children or pets. Stack boxes low (never above eye level) to avoid injuries when retrieving them.
🎯 Why This Matters — Even If You’re Insured
At Looker Wolfe & Gephart, we know that many holiday fires or injuries — from overloaded circuits, faulty light sets, dry trees, or unattended candles — are preventable with just a bit of care. Following these tips can help reduce the chances of a claim, but even beyond that — it helps keep your loved ones safe and your home protected.
