Tag Archives: Christmas Trees

Don’t Be the Griswolds

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By Mary Falconer-Williams, American Red Cross volunteer

Introduction by Ryan Lang, American Red Cross board member and volunteer

When Clark Griswold’s dad was teaching him everything he knew about exterior illumination, perhaps a lesson on safeguarding his home during the holidays was in order. Anyone who’s seen the classic “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” knows that everything that can go wrong, does go wrong for the Griswolds. But maybe, if Clark had been better prepared with tips from the American Red Cross, things may have gone more smoothly for him.

When you are decorating for the holidays, it’s so tempting – I know! – to load up one plug beyond its capacity. Why would they make it so you can daisy chain a set of lights if they didn’t mean for you to do so? And if I just need the wire to stretch one foot more, why can’t I just plug a power strip into a power strip into the extension cord?

The U.S. Fire Administration states on its website, “In 2021, an estimated 24,200 residential building electrical fires were reported to United States fire departments.”

Additionally, the National Fire Protection Agency indicates that December is the leading month for home fires in the U.S. According to them an annual average of 155 home fires were the result of Christmas tree fires, with electrical distribution or lighting equipment involved in more than two in five home Christmas tree fires.

Another way to make to protect yourself from home fires? You’re your home safely during cold weather. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), space heaters are most often responsible for home heating fires. Follow these tips on how to safely heat your home:

● If you must use a space heater, never leave it unattended. Place it on a level, hard, and nonflammable surface, such as a ceramic tile floor. Don’t place it on rugs and carpets, or near bedding and drapes.
● Plug space heater power cords directly into outlets — never into an extension cord. Turn the space heater off every time you leave the room or go to sleep.
● Keep children, pets, and anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment.
● Never use a cooking range or oven to heat your home.
● Never leave a fire burning in the fireplace unattended. Make sure any embers in the fireplace are extinguished before going to bed or leaving home. Use a glass or metal fire screen to keep embers in the fireplace.
● Have furnaces, chimneys, fireplaces, wood, and coal stoves inspected annually by a professional and cleaned if necessary.

The NFPA also indicates that Christmas Day and Christmas Eve were the second and third-leading days of the year for home cooking fires, respectively, in 2022. So, as you’re putting the fixings for your holiday meal on the stove, keep these tips in mind:

● Stand by your pan. If you leave the kitchen, turn the burner off.
● What you are cooking. Fires start when the heat is too high. If you see any smoke or the grease starts to boil, turn the burner off.
● Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove so that no one can bump them or pull them over.
● Keep a pan lid or baking sheet nearby. Use it to cover the pan if it catches on fire. This will put out the fire.
● Installing smoke alarms can help save lives, but make sure it is 10 feet or more away from your cooking surface.

RED CROSS TIPS to help protect your family this season, and year-round: test your smoke alarms monthly and practice your home fire escape plan until everyone can escape in less than two minutes — the amount of time you may have to get out of a burning home before it’s too late.

Posted by Ryan Lang, Red Cross board member and volunteer

Deck the halls with Red Cross safety

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By Ryan Lang, American Red Cross board member and volunteer

Red Cross board member and volunteer Ryan Lang decorating the Christmas tree.

Nothing ties the holidays together quite like decorations. Between the lighted trees, the stockings hung by the chimney with care, and the 20-foot inflatable Santa in the front yard, holiday décor has gotten more elaborate.  
 
Even if you’re not going all Clark Griswold with “250 strands of lights, 100 individual bulbs per strand, for a grand total of 25,000 imported Italian twinkle lights,” it’s important to play it safe.  
 
The American Red Cross offers these steps you can take to deck your halls safely:  
 
Check all holiday light cords to ensure they aren’t frayed or broken. Don’t string too many strands of lights together — no more than three per extension cord.  
 
Turn off all holiday lights when going to bed or leaving the house.  
 
Ensure outside decorations are for outdoor use and fasten lights securely to your home or trees. If using hooks or nails outside, make sure they are insulated to avoid an electrocution or fire hazard.  
 
If buying an artificial tree, look for the fire-resistant label. When putting it up, keep it away from fireplaces, radiators and other sources of heat. Never use electric lights on metallic trees.  
 
If getting a live tree, make sure it’s fresh and keep it watered. To test if the tree is fresh, bend the needles up and down to make sure no needles fall off.  
 
Don’t light the fireplace if hanging stockings or other decorations on the mantel.  
 
Check the labels of older decorations. Some older tinsel is lead-based. If using angel hair, wear gloves to avoid irritation. Avoid breathing in artificial snow.  
 
If using a ladder, be extra careful. Make sure to have good, stable placement and wear shoes that allow for good traction.  

Additionally, if you use traditional candles, keep flammable items, including curtains and holiday decorations, at least 3 feet away from your candles. Keep your menorah or kinara on a non-flammable surface to catch the melting candle wax, such as a tray lined with aluminum foil. Never leave lit candles unattended.
 
For more holiday safety tips, visit RedCross.org. 

Tips for decking the halls safely

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By Eilene E. Guy, American Red Cross volunteer

When I was young, I visited the home of an elderly Finnish couple. I remember the heavenly aroma of special cookies baking for the upcoming Christmas holiday.

But my most vivid memory of that visit was of an unfinished wooden frame in the shape of a Christmas tree with delicate straw ornaments and real candles burning!

I asked my dad why we didn’t have real candles on our tree. He immediately dismissed the idea as “too dangerous.” Boy, was he right: According to the National Fire Protection Association, candles cause an average 20 home fires a day in the U.S., and these emergencies peak in December and January.

Photo by Brett Sayles on Pexels.com


The American Red Cross suggests that if you’re decorating with candles this holiday season, consider using the battery-operated kind. They’re flameless, many are scented and they come in a variety of styles, from votives and pillars to tapers for windowsills and the dining table. If you must use real candles, keep them away from anything that could burn and out of reach of pets and children. Never leave burning candles unattended.

The Red Cross offers other steps you can take to be sure you and your family enjoy the
holidays safely:
– Check all light cords to ensure they aren’t frayed or broken. Don’t string too many strands of lights together – no more than three per extension cord.
– Turn off all holiday lights – including window candles – when going to bed or leaving the house.
– Be sure outside decorations are labeled for outdoor use and fasten lights securely to your home or trees. If you’re using hooks or nails outside, make sure they’re insulated to avoid an electrocution or fire hazard.
– If you’re buying an artificial tree, look for a fire-resistant label.  When putting it up, keep it away from fireplaces, radiators and other sources of heat. Never use electric lights on metallic trees.
– If you’re getting a live tree, make sure it’s fresh – and keep it watered. To test if the tree is fresh, bend the needles up and down to make sure needles aren’t falling off.
– Clear the mantel of stockings and other dangling decorations before lighting a fireplace.
– Check the labels on older decorations. Some older tinsel is lead-based. If using angel hair, wear gloves to avoid irritation. Avoid breathing in artificial snow.
– If you’re using a ladder to hang the mistletoe or place a tree-topper, be extra careful. Make sure to have good, stable placement and wear shoes that allow for good traction.

The Red Cross responds to more than 60,000 disasters a year – and the majority are home fires. Home fires claim seven lives a day in the U.S., but working smoke alarms can cut the risk of death by half. This is a good time to test your smoke alarms and practice your home fire escape plan until everyone can get out in less than two minutes: That’s how long you may have to leave a burning home before it’s too late.

If you’re looking for a gift for that someone “who has everything,” how about a new smoke alarm, carbon monoxide detector, fire extinguisher or emergency escape ladder?

How about a donation in that person’s name to the American Red Cross, to support activities that help prepare for, prevent and respond to disasters down the street, across the country and around the world? To make a donation, visit here.

Is That Your Christmas Tree On Fire?

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By Doug Bardwell,  American Red Cross Communications and Disaster Services Volunteer

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As popular as artificial trees are, almost everyone loves the smell of a real tree during the holiday season. But, to make sure your holiday memories are nothing but wonderful, take a couple minutes to make sure your tree doesn’t cause the unexpected.

Your lovely tree can turn deadly in just seconds

Don’t let it happen to you or your loved ones.  Here are seven simple hints to keep in mind:

  1. Choose a fresh tree that you cut yourself, if possible. If not, shake the tree aggressively before buying and don’t select one that drops its needles while shaking. That’s a sure sign that it’s drying out already.
  2. If you didn’t cut the tree yourself, cut an additional two inches off the bottom of the tree to open its pores, so that it can absorb fresh water.
  3. Use a sturdy stand to prevent tipping, and make sure that the stand can hold an adequate amount of water to keep the tree as fresh as possible. Make a scheduled time to add water every day.
  4. Keep the tree at least three feet away from any ignition source, such as fireplaces, heaters, candles or high intensity lightbulbs.
  5. Use only UL-rated light strings on your tree and no more than the manufacturer’s recommended number of sets plugged together. Discard any lights with worn or frayed cords.
  6. Make sure the tree and cords do not extend into or across doorways or paths of egress.
  7. Make sure your smoke alarms are working properly and always turn off any Christmas lights before going to bed each night.

Out of control in 20 seconds – you won’t believe the speed or intensity of this fire

Watch this one-minute video from the National Fire Prevention Association showing how quickly a spark or small fire can ignite your beautiful tree.  In less than 20 seconds, you better be out of there. (You have discussed a family escape plan with your children haven’t you?)

As the video points out, a dry tree ignites faster than newspaper.  Protect yourself this season and enjoy the happiest of holidays.  If you need a smoke alarm installed in your home,  visit this page to click on your county of residence to request a free home fire safety inspection and free smoke alarm installations in your home..