12 Ways to Make the 12 Days of Christmas Safe for Your Family

 By Diane Tait

I was just helping my daughter decorate for the holidays when I noticed that a string of Christmas lights she intended to place on the tree was hot.  “Time to get rid of these,” I told her before pulling the plug.  The incident got me thinking about other hazards that could all too easily ruin the holidays for any family.  Being in the insurance industry, I’m well aware of how the holidays represent an uptick in things like theft, fire and ER visits.  So, I thought I’d take the time to give my readers a dozen ways to make the season of giving a little bit safer.

1.      Taking care of the tree.  – Whether you opt for a live tree or an artificial one, there are a number of things you need to do to make sure it doesn’t wind up like Chevy Chase’s tree in Christmas Vacation.  Any time you add electric lights to a tree, there’s always a chance of fire.  To keep your tree from igniting, always check for frayed wires before you decorate the tree.  Then plug the lights in just to make sure they work without overheating like my daughter’s strand did.  If you have pets, block access to any room where a tree or holiday lighting is kept since pets sometimes like to gnaw on the wires.  Make sure the tree is properly anchored so it won’t come tumbling down.  Last but not least, make sure that the tree is kept well away from the fireplace and any decorative candles you intend to light during the holidays.

2.      Make sure you safely dispose of holiday wrapping. – When it comes to gifts, wrapping paper, packing materials and cellophane can be deadly if they are ingested by small children or pets.  When it comes time to unwrap your gifts, make sure you gather up all the wrapping paper and packaging before safely disposing of them in a trash bin or bag.

3.      Outdoor Illumination – While watching Clark Griswold slide off the roof into the bushes while lighting his house for the holidays makes us laugh out loud, falling off a ladder or the roof while setting up your outdoor illumination is no laughing matter. Whenever you’re working with strings of lights either on a ladder or on the roof, always make sure you have someone there to secure the ladder and keep the lights you’re stringing from getting hung up on something that could cause you to take a tumble.  Also, only use extension cords that are designed for outdoor use.   

4.      Shocking, isn’t it? – While holiday decorations are beautiful, they can also overtax extension cords and outlets.  Never plug in more than three strings of lights to any extension cord and never plug more than one high wattage device into an outlet. Don’t forget to unplug holiday lights before you turn in for the night.

5.      Did you know that some holiday plants are toxic? – While holly is festive, holly berries are highly toxic.  So too are mistletoe, philodendrons, amaryllis, daffodils and some species of lilies.  Even chocolate can accidentally poison dogs and cats should they snatch seasonal candies from the table.

6.      Tis the season for fraud. – Chances are you’ll receive dozens of potentially fraudulent emails and texts during the holiday season.  If you don’t want to wind up getting Grinched, you need to use extreme caution when it comes to dealing with click bait.  Everything from eCards to holiday deals and shipping notifications can and will be used to try to get you to click on a link that will quickly deposit malware on your laptop, tablet or smartphone.  What’s worse is that many of these messages will at first glance seem legitimate.  It’s only after you click on the link that you’ll find out that your system has been compromised when your machine slows to a crawl or a message pops up which threatens to destroy all the data on your machine if you don’t pay a ransom.  To avoid being scammed online, never click on a link you aren’t 100% sure is the legitimate, never click on ads for deals that seem too good to be true and immediately shut down any compromised device before taking it to an IT professional immediately.  To do otherwise only increases the damage that can be done by hackers.

7.      Practice safe shopping. – When you venture out to stores and the mall, make sure you’re aware of who is watching you.  Muggings and car theft always take an uptick during the busiest shopping season of the year.  That means you need to take care when you head back to your car when laden with gifts.  You also need to make sure all those gifts are securely locked where smash and grab thieves can’t see them.

8.      Are you ready to fend off porch pirates? – The Christmas holidays are also high time for porch pirates.  These thieves roam the streets looking for packages left sitting unattended at front doors.  Particularly if you don’t work at home, you should think about installing a package guard or porch pirate bag that delivery drivers can use to securely lock your packages in. You can also have packages securely delivered to retailers or secure lockers, such as those offered by Amazon.

9.      Home is where the heart is. – It’s also where many holiday injuries occur.  Before your friends and family gather for the big day, take the time police your sidewalk and yard for anything that could prove hazardous to your guests.  Put pets in a spare room to keep them from being stepped on or being tripped over.  Turn on outdoor lights before the sun goes down, since it sets quickly at this time of the year.  Make sure you have a designated driver to take home any guests who may have had too much to drink.

10.  The time of giving can also be the time of thieving? – While holiday deliveries are all too common at this time of year, so too are people soliciting for charities.  While being charitable is commendable, make sure that any donation you give is to a legitimate charity.  During the holiday season, you’ll be barraged with solicitations online, on the phone and at your door.  Before you contribute to a criminal enterprise, make sure you know who you’re dealing with.

11.  Over the river and through the woods to grandma’s house we go. - If you plan on being away from home during the holidays, take care that you don’t broadcast your plans to thieves.  Many families who come back to a ransacked home don’t realize that they or their kids gave the crooks everything they needed to know by posting their holiday itinerary on the social nets.  It also wouldn’t be a bad idea to make sure you have a neighbor pick up your mail and keep an eye on your home while you’re away.

12.  Take photos or videos of valuable items you receive during the holidays. – This way if you should ever have these items lost or destroyed by a fire or flood, you’ll have all the documentation you need to present to the adjuster.

Diane Tait owns and operates A&B Insurance.  To find out more about how you can save money on boat insurance, go to her site.