Keep your Christmas décor from being a fire hazard. How to decorate safely for holidays

Whether your Christmas tree went up over Thanksgiving weekend or is set to be chopped down soon, make sure you’re not unintentionally harboring a fire hazard in your home.

Putting up the Christmas tree and decorating your home for the holidays is typically the official start of the season of giving for many — hanging stockings on the mantlepiece, lighting candles in the kitchen, adorning every inch of your space with holiday cheer.

But however you decide to deck out your personal winter wonderland, many elements of your holiday décor — from power strips to burnt out light bulbs to your prized Christmas tree — come with safety risks that you might be overlooking.

Holiday season comes with many fire hazards

They may look pretty, but holiday decorations pose fire hazards that can lead to deadly situations.

Between 2017 and 2021, fire departments in the United States responded to an average of 150 home fires that started with Christmas trees per year. During the same period, fire departments responded to an estimated average of 793 home fires per year that began with decorations, excluding Christmas trees, reports the National Fire Protection Association.

These fires caused an annual average of four deaths, 33 injuries and $14 million in direct property damage, said the agency.

Lighting equipment or electrical distribution was involved in more than two in five home Christmas tree fires, with nearly one in five Christmas tree fires started by lamps or bulbs. Eight percent of Christmas tree fires stem from candle use.

To ensure the only thing your home is alight with this December is holiday cheer, here are tips for keeping your house safe and holiday setup fire-free.

Christmas tree, holiday décor safety tips

Pick your tree wisely

Most of the debate about which tree to choose relates to how tall or how wide it is, but making sure the needles are in good shape on real trees is a good practice, too.

You’ll want to pick a Christmas tree that has fresh, green needles that do not fall off when touched, said Michael Chionchio, assistant state fire marshal with the Delaware Office of the State Fire Marshal.

The National Fire Protection Association reports that Christmas trees become more flammable as they dry out. If you start the season with a dry, brittle tree, the risk of a house fire is more than that of a livelier tree.

Set up your tree properly and away from flames

Roughly two of every five home Christmas tree fires start in the living room, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

To avoid this, Chionchio advises homeowners to cut two inches from the base of the tree’s trunk before placing it in a stand that is away from any heat sources like fireplaces, candles, radiators, lights or heat vents.

Pamela Reno, regional practice leader for Telgian Engineering & Consulting, stresses that you should also have a clear space ready for your tree before setting it up.

“Before you take your trees out and bring all the decorations, get rid of all the clutter that you have,” she said. “You wanna make sure you’re putting up your tree in an area that doesn’t have a lot of combustibles. You don’t want to have all that clutter because it causes a higher fire load.

You should also make sure you don’t place your tree in an area that blocks an exit.

Don’t forget to water your tree!

Not everyone was born with a green thumb, but watering your tree daily is a sure way to maintain liveliness and avoid housing a major fire hazard in your living room.

“You have to make sure your tree is hydrated. The drier the tree is, the fire is gonna start quicker,” said Reno. “Yes, it’s gonna die eventually, but you don’t want it dying prematurely.”

Check holiday lights before using

Chionchio suggests using lights that are listed by a qualified testing laboratory. Of those lights, only use indoor lights for inside décor; keep lights designated for outdoor-use outside.

Once you’ve crossed that off the checklist, thoroughly inspect your lights to find out if they’re OK to use this year or if you should toss them for a new set. If there are loose bulb connections, cracked bulbs, worn cords or faulty plugs, it’s time to retire them.

Incorrectly storing lights can cause wires to fray or leaving faulty bulbs on a strand could pose a fire hazard if used, said Reno.

She stresses that individuals using light strands should heed advice from user manuals about how many strands of lights can be connected and how long they can be used before needing a replacement. Ideally, lights should be replaced every two to three years, with the exception of LED lights lasting a bit longer, she said.

You should never use lit candles to decorate Christmas trees.

When it’s time for bed or if you’re heading out the door, turn off Christmas tree lights and other light strands. You can also opt to use timed power strips that will automatically shut connected lights off after a scheduled duration of time.

Decorate safely

It’s fun to go all out for the season and completely transform your home into the holiday vision of your dreams, but too many decorations or using unsafe decorations can be risky.

However you like to decorate your tree and your home, choose décor that is flame resistant or flame retardant, the state fire marshal said.

Although it might look nice, Reno suggests not overloading your tree with items. If things are prone to falling off, they could easily find their way into a fireplace. Stray garland strands could flutter into a candle or get stuck under a heater.

More things to keep in mind include:

• When hanging lights up or other electronic decorations, opt for clips instead of nails to avoid damaging electrical cords.

• Keep decorations away from windows and doors.

• Don't place garlands, stockings or other items near a candle, stove, fireplace or other open flames.

Don’t overload power strips

When it comes to fueling your holiday decorations and tree lights, be careful you don’t plug too many things into one power strip.

“If a power strip has six outlets, that doesn’t mean you should use all six,” said Reno.

Taking notes from Clark Griswold, you don’t want to end up blowing fuses in your house because you overdid it on all the plugs.

Be vigilant when using candles

Year-round, 33 percent of home decoration fires were started by candles, the National Fire Protection Association reported, adding that this number jumped to 46 percent in December and continued to peak into January.

While they may not smell as nice as the real deal, Reno suggests using battery-operated candles as a safe alternative, especially with all the added flammable items in your home during the holidays.

“I know you want that ambiance, but that can be very dangerous,” she said.

This is especially true for those placing candles in windowsills, on coffee tables or on mantlepieces that may be filled with holiday décor this time of year.

If you insist on real candles, make sure you keep an eye on it and do not leave a lit candle unattended, especially around children and pets. Matches and lighters should be kept in safe spaces, too.

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Don’t decorate around the fireplace

As we move closer to the cold of winter, many homes will start using their fireplaces to keep the space warm.

After properly checking your fireplace, cleaning out the flue and doing routine maintenance, don’t forget to keep decorations away from the open flames.

Placing stockings on the mantelpiece is a common practice, and if you plan to do so, you should not have the fireplace going while they’re hanging above it, said Reno.

Even something as simple as a garland or artificial pinecones could easily catch fire.

Keep fire safety devices handy

All households should have working smoke alarms and fire extinguishers year-round.

Reno advises homeowners to check their smoke detectors regularly and to not only keep a fire extinguisher handy, but also know how to use it.

Got a tip or a story idea? Contact Krys'tal Griffin at kgriffin@delawareonline.com. 

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This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Avoid fire hazards with these tips for safe holiday decorating