Deck the Halls with Safety: Avoid house fires from holiday decorations

Deck the Halls with Safety: Avoid house fires from holiday decorations

by Home Decoration
Six crucial tips to keep you, your family, and your home safe.

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Tree On Fire

KENNEWICK, Wash. — December, January, and February are the most dangerous months for home fires as they occur more in winter than any other season, according to a Facebook post from the Walla Walla Fire Department. The U.S. Fire Administration said that cooking is the leading cause all year round, but during the winter season holiday decorations are also to blame. 

Nearly one in five Christmas tree fires were started by decorative lights, according to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). In December, candles were also the cause of 45{d4d1dfc03659490934346f23c59135b993ced5bc8cc26281e129c43fe68630c9} of home decoration fires. (NFPA).

RELATED: Send in your Holiday Decorations for a chance to appear on KAPP KVEW

Here are the top 6 tips to follow to keep you, your family, and your home safe this holiday while enjoying your decorations. 

  1. Add water to your live tree daily (FEMA). The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), said a dried-out Christmas tree could simultaneously ignite in a flashover in less than one minute compared to a well-watered tree that burns much slower.
  2. Make sure your tree is at least three feet away from heat sources like fireplaces, vents, space heaters, etc.. (FEMA).
  3. Keep Candles at least 12 inches away from anything that burns (FEMA) or use battery-operated flameless candles. The NFPA said, that three out of every five candle fires started because the flame was too close to a flammable object like furniture, bedding, curtains, or other decor.
  4. Replace any lights or string of lights that are worn down, broken, or loose (NFPA). It’s always important to read the manufacturer’s instructions and check the maximum wattage, especially when connecting multiple strings of lights together or in an extension cord. A good rule of thumb from the CPSC is, “do not use more than three three standard-size sets of lights per single extension cord.”
  5. Always turn off Christmas tree lights before leaving home or going to bed (American Red Cross).
  6. Don’t light the fireplace if you have stockings or decorations hanging on the mantel. (American Red Cross).

“Electrical distribution or lighting equipment was involved in almost half of home Christmas tree fires.” –NFPA

Consumer Product Safety Commission also recommends that the holidays are a good time to review an emergency plan with your family if there is a fire in your home. Don’t forget to double-check all your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors as well. It’s always a good reminder for parents to keep lighters, candles, matches, breakable decorations, or any potential dangerous decorations away from children and pets. For additional holiday safety tips visit, click here.

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How Christmas decorations cause house fires: What to know

How Christmas decorations cause house fires: What to know

by Home Decoration

Between 2015 and 2019, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 790 home fires per year that started with holiday decorations, according to a report from the National Fire Protection Association, a leading fire resource.

Fires caused by holiday decorations, excluding Christmas trees, resulted in an annual average of one death, 26 fire injuries and $13 million in direct property damage.

More than two of every five decoration fires happen because decorations are placed too close to a heat source, according to the report.

The most common cause of holiday decoration fires: candles. According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, December is the peak month for candle fires and Christmas is the peak day.

Candles contributed to more than one third of home decoration fires, 90 deaths, 670 injuries and $291 million in direct property damage within the four years.

The other common holiday decoration fire starters include:

  • Cooking
  • Electrical distribution and lighting equipment
  • Heating equipment
  • Intentional
  • Smoking materials

Here’s what you need to know about how to avoid home fires during the holidays including tips on holiday decorations, fire hazards and guest smokers, according to the NFPA:

  • Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, not both.
  • Replace any string of lights with a worn or broken cross or loose bulbs connections.
  • Read manufacturer’s instructions for the number of light strands to connect.
  • Use clips, not nails, to hang lights so the cords do not get damaged.
  • Keep decorations away from windows and doors.
  • Keep children and pets away from lit candles.
  • Ask smokers to smoke outside and to keep their materials with them so young children do not touch them.
  • Provide large, deep ashtrays for smokers. Wet smoking butts with water before discarding.
  • Blow out lit candles when you leave the room or go to bed.
  • Turn off all light strings and decorations before leaving home or going to bed.

For more tips on winter holiday fire safety, visit the NFPA’s safety tip guide.

Christmas tree fires

While holiday decoration contributed to a large sum of holiday fires, so did Christmas trees.

Within the four years, Christmas trees started 160 U.S. home fires per year causing an average of two deaths, 12 injuries and $10 million in direct property damage.

Electrical distribution or lighting equipment was involved in almost half of the home Christmas tree fires.

And nearly one in five Christmas tree fires were started by decorative lights. In nearly one fifth of the Christmas tree fires, some type of heat source, such as a candle or equipment, was too close to the tree.

Here’s what you need to know about picking, placing, lighting and the aftercare of your Christmas to avoid a home fire, according to the NFPA:

HOW TO PICK A TREE

  • Choose a tree with fresh green needles that do not fall off when touched.

TREE PLACEMENT

  • Before placing the tree in the stand, cut two inches from the base of the trunk.
  • Make sure the tree is at least three feet away from any heat source including fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents or lights.
  • Make sure the tree is not blocking an exit.
  • Add water to the base of the tree stand. Be sure to add water daily.

HOW TO SAFELY LIGHT A TREE

  • Use lights that are listed by a qualified testing laboratory. Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use.
  • Never use lit candles to decorate the tree.

WHEN TO GET RID OF THE TREE

  • Get rid of the tree when it’s dry because dried-out trees are a fire danger and should not be left in the home, garbage or placed outside against the home.
  • Bring outdoor electrical lights inside after the holidays to prevent hazards.

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Brianna Taylor is a reporter on The Sacramento Bee’s utility desk. A former Bee intern, Brianna also reported in Missouri and Maryland. She is a graduate of Morgan State University.

Holiday decorations and tabletop trees

Holiday decorations and tabletop trees

by Home Decoration
Holiday decorations and tabletop trees

Is the thought of putting up a giant Christmas tree daunting? Are there more tasks in the day than hours? Are you and the family traveling for the holidays after spending the last months distancing? If any of these are true, then the thought of a Christmas tree and whole-home decorations for whatever winter holiday celebration works for you might be more than you want to handle. I love Christmas trees and all sorts of holiday decorations, but oh, the work! 

It is a trend to reduce the size, kind and amount of decorating down for the holidays. There are many reasons to avoid a big fuss, including allergies, cats climbing trees, dogs chowing down on garland or candles, the mess of falling leaves or needles, and space issues due to downsizing homes. 

GARDEN COLUMN: Seasonal decorations | Home & Garden

GARDEN COLUMN: Seasonal decorations | Home & Garden

by Home And Garden

The weather has turned seasonably cold with the first frost being seen by most of us. For most of the holiday season, our thoughts tend to be inside with family and indoor plants, some of which are popular as part of our seasonal decorations. Poinsettias, cacti and amaryllis are just some of the plants that we find in the stores right now.

Poinsettias: The traditional Christmas poinsettia has been popular for decades with the bright red leaves still being the most popular color with shoppers. New colors such as variegated leaves or light-colored leaves dyed blue were a fad a few years ago and can still be found in florists or nurseries if you like them. If you kept your poinsettia from last year, you might find some red leaves starting to appear though nursery grown plants tend to be brighter with more flowers. Just as a note though, the red color is actually from bracts, or modified leaves around the small yellow flower that is in the middle. Once the color is set, the plant can be kept in shade or sun for the holiday season.

Christmas Cacti: There are a few different cacti on the market and all flower around this holiday season – one closer to Thanksgiving and one nearer Christmas/New Year. All are tender succulents rather than true cacti, so they can dry out quickly in your home. Water well in the sink and let it drain before putting back into the decorative container. These plants all survive well outside in summer and once the temperatures sink into the 40s and the daylength gets shorter, they produce bright red, white or salmon pink flowers. They do prefer full sun but will be fine for a few weeks in a partly sunny position. Keep the plant on the dry side but repeat the ‘water in the sink’ when the top of the soil is dry. For the rest of the year, keep the cacti in a sunny south facing window and place on your patio in late spring.

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Rosemary Topiary: These delightful plants are closely cropped to form a pyramid or other formal shape. The plant containers tend to be full of roots and difficult to water, but without water they go brown and die in days. The best remedy is to remove the outer pretty covering, leaving just the root ball and water like the succulents – in the sink. If the roots are too dense, take a knife and make a few slits in the root ball so that water can penetrate into the center as well as the outside. The rosemary is the same as a culinary rosemary but resist trimming the stems for your kitchen for a while – the nurseries use chemicals to keep away bugs and fugal issues and to keep the plant looking healthy. These chemicals are not safe to ingest. If your rosemary does survive the holidays, keep it slightly moist and in a cool room until spring when it can be planted in the garden. Give the plant at least a year to minimize contamination before using in your culinary dishes.

Amarylis: The amaryllis bulb is a popular hostess gift for seasonal parties and come in box or container. Read the instructions to prompt the amaryllis to produce a flower stalk. Once the stalk begins, it grows rapidly and finally produces the beautiful flowers a few weeks later. The bulb can be put into the garden for summer, then placed in a dark location until the leaves die and the plant is fully dormant. Give the bulb about a month of dormancy then bring back into the home and water well.


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We have such a long growing season that winter flowers indoors are not required to last months, but for the holiday season they are certainly an addition to your decorations.

Wishing everyone a Happy, Healthy Thanksgiving and holiday season.


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Kate Copsey is a garden author, writer and speaker now living in eastern Orangeburg County. Her book “The Downsized Veggie Garden” is available from bookstores everywhere as well as her webpage www.katecopsey.com.

First lady Jill Biden unveils her first White House holiday decorations

First lady Jill Biden unveils her first White House holiday decorations

by Home Decoration
East Wing communications director Elizabeth Alexander told CNN the idea for Biden’s theme was to showcase “things that unite and heal, and bring us together.” Biden and the East Wing began planning for the holiday decorations in early summer, narrowing the ideas and beginning to visualize how it would come to fruition.

In each of the public rooms of the White House — which remains closed to visitors due to the Covid-19 pandemic — there is an individual representation of the theme. The Library Room, with decorations of butterflies, reflects the “gift of learning,” while the Vermeil Room notes the “gift of the visual arts” with Christmas wreaths made of paint-dipped paintbrushes and a tree of Pantone color sample ornaments.

In the China Room, which displays the official china settings of previous presidential administrations year-round, a table was set “Nana style,” according to Alexander, a nod to Biden’s favorite family dinners, with centerpieces of candles and flowers. On the room’s trees, which had a “gift of friendship and caring” theme, ornaments of paper hands forming circles and stars hung, an idea that was also the first lady’s, said Alexander.

In the State Dining Room, two large trees were decorated with framed photographs of former first families at the White House during the holidays, and several images from the Biden’s private archive that have never before been seen publicly.

“The first lady spent the last several weekends when she was home in Delaware looking through photo albums and picking her favorites,” said Alexander.

There were photos from previous administrations, pulled from the White House archives: the Kennedys, the Clintons, the Johnsons, the Reagans — tucked on the backside of one of the trees was one small, framed photograph of Donald and Melania Trump.

A photo of former United States President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jaqueline Kennedy is displayed on a Christmas tree in the state Dining Room of the White House.

Though more subdued than in recent years — and minus controversies such as red trees — the display is Biden’s nod to tradition, and carrying on with personal touchstones, even as the country feels the impact of change and loss due to the ravages of Covid-19, says Alexander.

The fireplace in the State Dining Room features six stockings for each Biden grandchild, knitted by the same Delaware artisan as the actual Biden family stockings.

According to the White House, in total there are 41 Christmas trees, 6,000 feet of ribbon, more than 300 candles, and more than 10,000 ornaments.

However, the lack of the copious amount of decoration of the last several years is felt and seen. There are more bare corners, less in the way of fake snow and twinkling lights, the Christmas trees in the Cross Hall don’t graze the ceiling and are not bunched together. In the Green Room there are just two purple trees and a handful of purple orchid plants, one of Biden’s favored blooms.
A Marine White House Military social aide stands at attention in a hallway of the White House during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations.

A statement from the East Wing says the first lady was “inspired by small acts of kindness and experiences that lifted our spirits this year and throughout the pandemic.”

The annual White House gingerbread house — a 350-pound replica of the original that took executive pastry chef Susan Morrison and members of her team several weeks to construct — was accompanied by other smaller gingerbread and icing “buildings,” including a hospital, a fire station, police station, a warehouse and a school.

A ginger bread White House is seen in the State Dining room.

White House social secretary Carlos Elizondo told CNN the idea was to honor the front-line workers who have kept the country functioning. Elizondo added the first lady also wanted this year’s gingerbread White House to include something that had never been done before, so Morrison affixed a large, illuminated wreath to the top of the North Portico.

President Biden and the first lady took a look at the decorations Sunday night after returning from their Thanksgiving holiday in Nantucket, Massachusetts. Jill Biden placed the last (edible) figurine on the display: a tiny gingerbread teacher, propped next to a stair railing made of angel-hair pasta painted with black food coloring.

The entire display, save the board upon which it rests, can be eaten, said Morrison.

Holiday decorations are displayed at the White House.

On Monday afternoon, Biden will personally thank the 100-plus volunteers who hung the decorations over the last week. Many of them arrived prior to Thanksgiving to begin their work; by Sunday, it was “all hands on deck,” said Alexander, as the finishing touches were applied. Typically, volunteers from all over the country apply for the decorating positions, but due to the pandemic, this year they were only local to Washington, DC, said Alexander.

Christmas decor shopping guide: How to find the right decorations for you | Home & Garden

Christmas decor shopping guide: How to find the right decorations for you | Home & Garden

by Home Decoration


Here are four tips for avoiding the hazards of holiday decorating.







Even though Christmas has been celebrated for centuries, you’re not restricted to decorating in the classic style — unless that’s the style you prefer.

You could use modern Christmas home decor with sleek, clean lines and a pared-down design. Rustic is another option; think simple, distressed pieces in soft, neutral colors. A quirky design scheme uses memorable items that have a unique flair, and a humorous style incorporates funny elements into the decor scheme.

If you have children, you might want to tailor your Christmas home decor to them, making it more whimsical.






Christmas lights




Decor category

Since Christmas is one of the most popular holidays, there’s a wealth of Christmas home decor items that fall into many categories.

Widely available types of decor include:

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Material

The materials that compose Christmas home decor make a significant impact on its appearance. Material options include metal, wood, ceramic, porcelain, resin, glass, crystal, silk, plastic and straw.

Functional decor






Christmas stocking

iPEGTOP 18” Burlap Christmas Stocking, $16.99, Amazon




No holiday home decor scheme is complete without Christmas stockings.

All you need is a secure place to hang them.

Of course, this decor is functional in addition to aesthetic, as Santa Claus fills the stockings with small treats during his stop at your home.

Size

The size of Christmas home decor should always suit the dimensions of the space in which it’s displayed.

If you try to squeeze a large piece into a small area, it’ll look overstuffed. And if you display a small decoration in a large space, it’s liable to disappear into its surroundings.

These scenarios demonstrate why size matters when it comes to Christmas home decor.

Christmas decor FAQ

How much should I spend?

The good news is that Christmas home decor is available in a vast price range that makes it accessible for virtually everyone. Pieces can start as low as $8 and can cost upward of $100.

How soon can you reasonably display Christmas home decor?

The window of time for reasonably displaying Christmas home decor has expanded greatly in recent years. Now, many people typically set up their Christmas decorations immediately after removing their Thanksgiving decor.

And rather than rushing to put the items away the day after Christmas or New Year’s Eve, some people choose to enjoy them for days or even weeks longer. Leaving the decorations out until February might be pushing it, but you don’t have to remove them the second the holidays are over.

What kind of Christmas home decor is most versatile?

Certain characters, animals and elements have been associated with Christmas for centuries. While they’re interpreted differently according to the designer, they represent Christmas nonetheless.

— Rudolph/Santa’s reindeer






Christmas wreath

Tiny Land Christmas wreath, $31.49, Amazon




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Megan Oster is a writer for BestReviews, a product-review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.