Carefully Deck the Halls

Twinkling lights, fragrant boughs and time spent together remind us why the holiday season is the most wonderful time of the year. And as thrilling as it is to dust off and display our favorite holiday decorations, we must do so with care. Take into consideration these common safety measures:

Trees

Select safely

If you're the real, live Christmas tree type, be sure to select a fresh tree for your home. Its needles should be difficult to pull from their branches and shouldn't break when bent. If an artificial tree is more your style, make sure it's fire resistant.

Keep away from heat

Keep a real tree away from heat sources like registers, radiators and fireplaces-which can dry it out and increase flammability. Exercise the same caution with artificial trees too. Keep real trees watered by ensuring daily that the stand is filled with enough water.

Candles

Never leave a burning candle unattended. Extinguish them when you leave the room, leave home or turn in for the night. Keep candles out of reach of children and pets and a few feet away from decorations and other flammable materials. Whenever possible, consider battery-operated candles in place of traditional flames.

Lights

Only use lights labeled as approved by nationally-recognized laboratories (like UL, CSA and ETL) and without damage like broken sockets, frayed wires or loose connections. If a string of lights is found in such condition, it's time to toss it. Also remember that LED lights could be the best option; they run cooler, use less energy and last longer than traditional lights.

Outdoor

Make sure your outdoor lights, and any extension cords, are specifically certified for outdoor use, and only plug them into a GFCI (ground-fault circuit interrupter)-protected receptacle. Secure lights to the house to prevent damage from the elements, but never staple or nail through them-or extension cords. Doing so could cause electric shock or fire.