The holiday season is definitely something that everyone looks forward to. Tasks that many of us normally dread doing are things they we get excited for.
Braving mall parking lots, cooking colossal meals, and even decorating the house can all seem mundane during any other time of the year.
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During the holiday season, however, it’s seen as something exciting and something that we all look forward to! Each year, there’s always an entertaining story on the news about various friendly neighborhood competitions where neighbors compete to have the biggest and brightest decorations on the block.
Sometimes we can get caught up in this fun holiday tradition, but we also need to keep a focus on home safety. Things can go from jolly to serious in a matter of minutes. So when decorating for the holidays, please keep these safety tips in mind:
1. Safety First
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, December is the deadliest month for electrical fires. Always inspect your holiday lights before you hang them up. Keep an eye out for frayed cords, broken bulbs, or loose connections. If you need to replace a bulb, make sure the string of lights is unplugged and match the voltage and wattage.
2. Lights Out
When leaving the house unattended or going to bed, be sure to unplug your lights. This will also give you peace of mind when you aren’t around to make sure everything is okay. For this purpose, you may want to invest in an outdoor timer to switch the lights on and off.
3. O’ Christmas Tree
While any Christmas tree (plastic or real) is wonderful, purchasing a real tree and watering it regularly (once a day) is the safest route. A dried out Christmas tree can catch fire much more easily and quickly than one that is properly watered.
4. Online & Home Safety
Keep your travel plans offline. Letting others know when you will be gone on vacation can make you an easy target for burglars. Even if your social accounts are private, it’s still never a good idea to let others know when you’ll be out of the house, especially for an extended period of time
5. Hide Your Gifts
Be sure to keep presents hidden. Of course this is something that you may already do for the children in your home, but pretty and enticing presents under the tree may also be enough motivation for would-be burglars to break in and steal gifts. Try to keep your trees and gifts away from windows and see through doors.
These holiday safety tips aren’t anything novel or new. They’re meant to serve as a reminder so that you and your family can have a Happy and Safe Holiday Season. Here at The Realty Medics we want you to truly enjoy your home, and want you and your family to always be safe. Please make safety a part of your holiday season, and be sure to enjoy the most wonderful time of the year!
This list is not meant to be exhaustive, please check with your local, state and federal authorities as you best see fit.
