This time of year—while everyone is focusing on holiday decor, menus, and gathering with family and friends—safety should also be on your list, and checked twice. Here are some holiday safety tips for inside and outside your home.

Indoor Holiday Safety

Before you deck the halls, check to make sure the following is merry and bright inside.

1. Inspect any indoor/outdoor light strands for frayed cords or cracked lamps. Replace anything broken, if you can, and throw away anything frayed. This will help prevent any accidental fires.
2. Turn off any holiday lights when you go out or to bed. Many items include a timer, and you can also plug it into a smart outlet to program when they turn off and on.
3. When purchasing light strings, extension cords, spotlights, or other electrical decorations, look for the mark of an accredited certification organization such as CSA International, UL, or ETL to ensure that the products comply with certain safety standards.
4. Don’t connect more than one extension cord together. It’s better to use a single cord long enough to reach the outlet without stretching or getting easily tangled.
5. Have a professional inspect your furnace, clean out air ducts, and sweep the chimney before you need to heat your home to help improve function and prevent damage

Outdoor Holiday Safety

From lights to lawn decor, it’s still important to keep the following in mind so your light show doesn’t turn into a blaze.

1. Keep outdoor electrical connectors off the ground and away from metal rain gutters. Use insulated tape or plastic clips instead of metal nails or tacks to hold them in place.
2. There’s a right and wrong way to use a ladder. Choose the correct ladder for the height of the job.
3. If travelling, know that if you post your plans on social media, your family, friends, and potential thieves will know when your house will be empty.
4. Notify a trusted neighbor of your travel plans and ask if they could keep an eye on your house and report any suspicious activity. If you’re blessed with a super helpful neighbor, they could also keep your walks cleared of snow and pick up your mail and newspapers so there are less signs of an open house.
5. Home automation is a great way to make your house more secure at any time. Add a motion sensor light or use smart plugs and lightbulbs that let you control lights, TVs, and more from anywhere.
6. While you’re thinking of where to hide gifts from kids, also consider hiding them from thieves. Try not to put wrapped gifts under the tree close to a window or anywhere in clear view. Even before they’re wrapped, packages that arrive on your doorstep is out in the open for anyone to take. Having a door security camera helps to deter theft, but considering a package locker through the delivery service, or a large, locked mailbox. These are more secure options.

Help keep the holidays happier when you practice these holiday safety tips that help protect you, your home, and your packages.

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