Tips For a Child and Pet Safe Christmas

If you ask many families what is their favorite holiday, they are likely to very quickly tell you it's Christmas. Everyone loves to spend the time with family, helping create new memories for their children and bringing a smile to many loved ones faces with Christmas gifts. While Christmas may be everyone's favorite holiday, it is also one of the most dangerous times of the year for small children and animals.

During the holiday season, emergency rooms are filled with children under the age of five due to Christmas tree accidents or other accidents caused by Christmas decorations. The same is true for small animals, which spend the Christmas season sick or fatally hurt by the same decorations. Even worse, 99% of these dangers that hurt children and pets can be avoided. Since nothing is worse than spending Christmas in the ER, here are some tips we have found to help make Christmas a bit safer for both you and your family.

Christmas Tree Safety: Lights

While many of us couldn't imagine having Christmas without a tree, it is the largest culprit of injuries for children under five and animals. Every year, 7,500 people all over the United States and Canada visit emergency rooms due to burns caused by Christmas tree decorations. Most of the problems come from Christmas lights, which can easily cause fires, especially from little children and animals pulling on these lights. Even though many of us love Christmas lights, they really aren't appropriate for homes with small children and animals. The new LED Christmas lights do not get hot and are much safer for everyone.

Christmas Tree Safety: The Tree

Even though Christmas lights are one of the main reasons for injuries, the tree itself can also be a danger if it is not anchored properly. Children and pets alike are intrigued by Christmas trees - especially when it is filled with colorful ornaments! It doesn't take much for a tree that is not anchored properly to come down on a child or pet, causing the potential for cuts from pine needs, broken ornaments, and fires if you are using lights. To help keep your children and pets safe, consider putting the Christmas tree in a room that is pet and child free until Christmas.

This will avoid fatal accidents and will help you prevent the tree itself from being a danger to your children and animals.

Also, never put any chemicals in the tree water. Pets and children do not understand that this water isn't safe, and will likely drink or play in this water when no one is looking. Since many families put fertilizer and bleach in their tree water, this can lead to a very unhappy Christmas in the ER or call to poison control.

Toy Safety

When looking for toys for small children, always make sure to look at the safety labels on toys. Never give small children toys that come with small pieces. As a rule of thumb, if it will fit in a child's mouth, it isn't safe! No matter how good your child may act, it only takes on slip up for a small toy to be lodged in a child's throat. If something does come with small pieces, make sure to take them out of the packaging before you give it to your child. As well, avoid any toys that need to be plugged into a power outlet. Only buy toys that require batteries if they require power at all.

By following some of these tips you and your family will have a happier, safer Christmas.

This article is written by Pat Tate who is using her blog Top Ten Christmas Ideas to talk about holiday food, Christmas carols and the popular toys and gifts on everyone's wish list."