15 Holiday Safety Tips
The holidays are here, and while decorations, travel and meals together bring joy, they also come with risks. Vacationers crowd icy roads, cooks multitask in the kitchen, and, according to the National Fire Protection Association, holiday decorations cause nearly 1,000 house fires in the U.S. each year. A little planning now will give you and your loved ones the gift of safety.
Follow these 15 tips to make the holidays safe and fun for everyone you gather.
Decorate Safely
1. Keep candles at least a foot away from anything that can burn. Make sure they’re stable, and somewhere kids, pets or you won’t knock them over. For extra safety, use flameless candles – you can find ones that flicker and smell like real candles.
2. Check lights before you hang them. If you find frayed wires or loose bulb connections, throw the string away. Read the manufacturer’s instructions for the number of strings you can safely connect.
3. Turn off all lights – electric or flame – when you leave the house or go to bed.
4. Place your Christmas tree out of the way of exits, and at least 3 feet away from heat sources like radiators, candles or vents.
5. Water your tree every day – a dry tree can burn hot and fast.
Travel Smart
6. Check the weather. Make sure you have enough layers, and see whether you should plan for wintery roads along the way.
7. Prepare your car. Check the lights, tires, oil, windshield wiper fluid and antifreeze levels, stock your emergency car kit and pack winter supplies like ice scrapers and tire chains.
8. Drive safely. Increase your following distance to give yourself time to stop on slick roads, and don’t crowd snowplows.
9. Keep your gas at least half full to stop the fuel line from freezing.
10. If conditions are bad, wait to travel.
Cook With Care
11. Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove so no one bumps them.
12. Watch what you’re cooking. If you leave the kitchen, turn the stove off. If you see smoke or grease boiling, turn the burner off.
13. Keep a lid or baking sheet near the stove. If a pan catches fire, cover it with your lid, turn the burner off and leave it until it’s completely cooled.
14. Don’t throw water on a grease fire: it’ll splash and spread the flames. If your oven catches fire, turn it off and keep the door closed.
15. If a fire won’t go out or you don’t feel comfortable approaching it, lead everyone outside and call 9-1-1.
However you celebrate this holiday season, think about safety. Visit ready.gov/winter-ready for more ways you can help yourself, your friends and family close 2025 on a bright note.