Christmas Decorating Disasters

Christmas decorating is tough stuff and it can be hazardous to a person's health if you're not careful!

We all get a good laugh when we see Clark W. Griswold in the movie Christmas Vacation take a header off his roof, while attempting to set a new world record covering his home in little twinkling Christmas lights. But don't laugh too hard, that happens to people for real quite frequently this time of year.

According to a new report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, last year alone, more than 15,000 people went to the emergency room due to Christmas decorating related injuries.

One out of three visits to the ER was attributed to FALLS. 11% were from cuts and another 10% were from people throwing out their backs.

Since 2009, more and more people have been spending the holidays in the hospital with Christmas decorating boo-boo's. Injury totals have been on the rise since 2009, when about 12,000 people were hospitalized.

Another thing we all need to be careful about this time of year is Christmas tree fires. On average, there are 200 Christmas tree fires a year according to the CPSC. Those fires have resulted in 10 deaths over the past three years.

A good rule of thumb when it comes to Christmas tree safety is to make sure your tree is at least 3 feet away from any kind of heat source like; fireplaces, heat vents, radiators, candles, etc. 

Add water to the tree stand on a daily basis and make sure your pets don’t drink from the tree stand.

Only decorate your tree with lights that are labeled for “indoor” use. Be sure to always turn off your lights before leaving home or going to bed.

Always remember to replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections.

Finally, never, ever, use lit candles to decorate your Christmas tree.

Have a safe and Merry Christmas that doesn’t involve a 911 call and a sleigh ride to the ER.

Source: LiveScience