Holiday Safety

The winter holidays are a time for relaxing, entertaining, and spending time with family and friends. Safety might be the last thing on your mind during the season, but nevertheless, it is something that should always be a concern. There are a few easy, preventative measures you can take that will keep everyone safe and comfortable (and out of the ER) on Christmas Eve.

Fire Safety

Fire is a crucial aspect to many holiday celebrations. Hanukkah is the celebration of lights, with candles playing an important role, and many families will also use candles in their windows for Christmas.  No matter what the holiday, a few common sense steps will keep the fire where it is supposed to be and prevent it from spreading. The US Fire Administration has a number of helpful tips for fire safety during the holidays. In summary: Buy a fresh tree.  The best way to know if your tree is fresh is to look for green needles that are hard to pull from the branch. When you bend the needles between your fingers they should not break. Keep your tree watered. This can't be stressed enough. A dry tree is a serious fire hazard and can ignite within seconds. A healthy, wet, well-watered tree is difficult to ignite (the testers at the USFA had to use a propane torch!) and once ignited does not stay lit for long. Cut a couple inches off the trunk when you get the tree home; this exposes the fresh wood which will easily absorb water. Place your tree wisely. When setting up a tree at home, place it away from fireplaces, radiators, or portable heaters. These items will dry the tree out, making it a fire hazard. Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways. Don't leave your lights on when you aren't there to appreciate them. Lights can be a hazard for electrical fires and can ignite a tree if it is dry or artificial. Choose your decorations carefully. Look for "flame retardant"  or "fire resistant"  labels on any decoration. This is especially important if you decide to use an artificial tree. Don't burn wrapping paper.  The chemicals used in the paper can give off sparks and dangerous gasses. Use caution when using candles.  Always make sure your candles are stable in their holders  or in your menorah.  Never leave burning candles unattended. Never allow small children to play with candles or leave candles where children might knock or pull them down. Never light candles on a Christmas tree or bring lit candles near it. Fireplace maintenance is important. Make sure your fireplace is clean and your flue is in good working order. Keep appropriate cast-iron, brass or steel fire place tools  handy at all times so that no one will try to "make do" with a broom or anything else that might ignite. Never leave a fire burning when you are out of the house or asleep; extinguish all fires when you are finished enjoying them. Keep a small fire extinguisher  near the fireplace and easily accesible; familiarize yourself with the directions. Water your tree. It's so important, it's in here twice.

Pet Safety

The holidays can be a stressful time for your pets. If you go to a lot of parties, your pets might miss your company. If you have a party or two at your house, all the strange people and sounds might frighten them.  Keep your pet healthy and happy through the new year with some of these ideas. Pets and parties don't mix. If you're going to have a big to-do at your house, the best bet is to put Buster and Oreo in an off-limits area. (This is assuming that they get along well, otherwise you'll need multiple off-limits areas.) For smaller, quiet gatherings, pets can be loose in the house as long as they don't make any of your guests uncomfortable. Many pets will retreat to a quiet area if they aren't fond of crowds anyway. Make sure that there are enough high surfaces on which your guests can leave plates and cups--this will prevent Rover from stealing a few snacks. If you have open flames or fire, make sure the cats can't (or won't) knock them over. Things you shouldn't feed your pet: Your pet should really only eat pet food  or very plain, unsalted human food that you make specifically for him or her. However, there are a few things that you should never, ever give your pet. Chocolate:  It is highly toxic to dogs. Not good for cats either, but they don't like it much. Alcohol:  It might seem like an amusing idea, but alcohol is bad for any pet. (It's not very good for you, either.) Cooked bones: Raw bones may be OK (consult your vet), but cooked bones are brittle and can shatter, hurting your pet's sensitive gums and esophagus. A more complete list can be found on The Pet Professor. You will also want to avoid onions, garlic, coffee, and anything very salty. Pets and Decorations Pets, especially dogs, seem to love creating chaos, which may spell disaster for your carefully decorated tree. Make sure that there is nothing at dog-mouth level that Buster can grab in his teeth. This is especially true of edible decorations like popcorn, cranberries and gingerbread cookies. Make sure that any other decorations are safely out of harm's way. If you have holiday plants around the house, keep them where your pets cannot reach them. If you have cats, better to not get them at all. Poinsettias,  yew,  holly  and mistletoe  are all highly toxic. Most species used as Christmas trees will also cause a number of unpleasant symptoms if eaten. PetCo has a good summary of safety tips for pets and decorations, as well as a few other things. Outdoor Safety Winter wonderlands can be a lot of fun for your pet, but there are a number of dangers in the great outdoors. Antifreeze is dangerous to pets, even in small amounts. Don't let your dog or cat lick anything off the driveway or garage floor. Salt on the sidewalk can severely irritate the sensitive parts of a dog's paws. Salt can also irritate any open cuts on the paw, and may be toxic if your dog licks his or her paws after a walk. Although they may appear a little silly, booties for dogs  are good protection from road salt. Make sure your dog is warm when you go out. If you have a breed with short hair, or an especially small breed, a winter coat  can protect him or her from severe cold and wind. Dry your dog off thoroughly after walks in the snow. Surprise Pets Never give a pet as a gift unless the recipient knows that he or she will be receiving a pet. Unwanted "Christmas puppies" are cute when they are little but often wind up in shelters when they are full-grown adults. Before buying a puppy or kitten, considering giving an animal the gift of a good home by adopting. Petfinder.com can help you find pets of all types up for adoption in your area. Be Prepared Keep the phone number of your veterinarian's office and your first aid kit handy. If there is an animal emergency hospital or clinic near you, find out if they will be open on Christmas and New Year's. This way, if your usual vet is closed for the holidays, you will have somewhere to go in case of an emergency. If your pet is expecting a litter, make sure you go over what you need to do to help her deliver in case it happens while your vet is away.

Toy Safety

With all of the gift-giving taking place, new toys will be found everywhere.  Utilize these helpful tips to keep your little ones safe.  Children under age three can choke on small toys. Only allow them to play with toys specifically designed for their age group.  Government regulations specify that these toys cannot have parts under 1 1/4 inch in diameter and 2 1/4 inches long.  Anything smaller than this can be dangerous!  No plugs for children under 10. Children could burn or electrocute themselves with plug-in toys. Instead, buy the younger kids battery-operated toys.  No strings attached. Watch out for toys with long cables or pull strings, as they can be a hazard.

Alcohol Safety

The holidays are surely a time for partying.  But, please, do it responsibly.  Don't drink and drive. Really. Don't do it. Be responsible for your guests. Don't allow anyone to drink in excess. Provide snacks  and plenty of non-alcoholic drinks  at any party you host. If possible, take the car keys of anyone who drives to your party. Only give them back if you are convinced your guest is able to drive safely. Make sure you have a few extra places for guest who need to crash. A couch is usually enough, but have pillows  and blankets  readily available. Know your limits. If you know that one glass of champagne will make you tipsy, then only have half a glass. Keep your stomach full by eating something heavy before you go to a party.

Food and Drink Safety

Consuming over- or under-cooked foods can pose a health hazard.  Be sure to read up on these safety tips so that no one gets sick!  Make sure all meat and poultry is cooked thoroughly. A good cooking thermometer is essential to getting the bird done enough to be safe, but not overcooked. Make children wash their hands constantly. The same goes to you! Thoroughly wash raw vegetables and fruits. The same cooking rule applies to eggnog.  Homemade eggnog should be cooked to 160 degrees before serving it to any guest. Cooking it will kill any salmonella bacteria from the eggs. You can also use pasteurized eggs  or pre-made eggnog without worry. This page from the University of Minnesota has more information. You can't always accommodate every food preference or allergy. However, if you serve a wide menu, you will probably have something for everyone. Ask your guests if they have any serious food allergies, and do the best you can to accommodate them. A few helpful websites: FoodSafety.gov:  Links to various governmental agency suggestions for holiday safety. K-State.edu:  A holiday food safety quiz.

Safety Around the Home

Just a few helpful tips and reminders Keep all walkways and driveways well-shoveled  or clear them with a snow blower. Salt  or sand  any areas where guests will be walking. Make sure your ladders are in good condition before using them to hang up decorations. Don't string your lights in such a way that guests might trip on an extension cord. Even though you should have checked your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors in October when you set your clocks back, the holidays are a good time to check them again (or for the first time).

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