Christmas Safety Tips Your Family Needs to Know

 Keep your home and family safe this Christmas with these simple tips.

This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Erie Insurance.

Holiday mishaps are a staple of some of our favorite Christmas movies. We've all laughed at the frustrated dad who blew a fuse or the Christmas tree that went up in smoke. Unfortunately, in real life, these mishaps aren't so funny. And they are all too common during the holiday season.

The holidays are a wonderful time to gather with our family and friends to enjoy the warmth and joy of the season. And you can keep those good times going (and those mishaps on the screen where they belong) by following a few simple Christmas safety tips.

Christmas Safety Tips Your Family Needs to Know

Christmas Tree Safety 

Christmas trees are often the centerpiece of our holiday decor, but they can also be a danger zone. According to a study by the National Fire Safety Protection Association, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 200 house fires a year that were started by Christmas trees. There are a few things you need to do to keep your tree from becoming a hazard in your home.

• Water your live tree every day. Make sure your tree is fresh and keep it that way with a daily dose of water. And if you have pets, check the water more frequently in case they are sneaking a drink.
• Check your lights before placing them on the tree. Toss any that look frayed or have damaged bulbs or plugs.
• Place the tree away from heat sources, fireplaces, or candles.
• Turn off the tree lights when you are not home and before you go to bed.
• Do not overload your power strip. 

To see just how quickly a Christmas tree can turn dangerous, check out this amazing video (and be sure to click at the end to see more on how to prevent it).

Staying Safe with Kids and Pets

When you have young children and pets in your family like I do you need to follow a few extra precautions to keep everyone safe at Christmas time. 

• Use caution with candles. Battery operated ones are the safest with kids and pets around, but if you do use real flames be sure they are well out of reach and completely extinguished before you leave the room.
• Keep breakable decorations high and out of reach of both kids and animals - you don't want glass shattering and causing a hazard.
• Keep your tree off limits or secure it to the wall if it is too much of temptation for either your very young children or your pets. You don't want the tree to topple from curious climbers.
• Be aware of holiday plants and treats that may be toxic to your pets. Do your research before bringing new plants into your home and keep holiday goodies away from your pets (get them their own special treats instead).

Erie Insurance has even more great tips on how to keep your home, family, and guests safe during the holiday season. Click here to read them all, and be sure to check out their family-friendly Very Merry Mishap Special. It's filled with great information that will keep your holiday mishap-free, except of course for the ones in your favorite movie.

Click here for great Christmas safety tips from Erie Insurance!