Holiday Decorating Safety

Holiday decorating time is a special time of year when the streets and stores of America sparkle. But as you're making your decorating list and checking it twice, be sure to check that everything is safe and sound.
When you pull the lights out of the attic, check to make sure that there are no frayed connections. And when plugging them in, following manufacturers recommendations. "At this time of year, many decorations and light strings are being plugged into the electrical outlets around the home," said John Drengenberg of Underwriters Laboratories. "It's important to make sure that we don't overload our circuits because overloaded circuits can cause heating of the wiring and possibly a fire."

Look for lights that have been tested. When you're looking for a tree to hang them on, get one that's nice and fresh. And be sure to keep it watered as soon as you get it home.

"People are engaging in a lot of activities that are inherent fire hazards," said Susan McKelvey of the National Fire Protection Association. "They're cooking, it's cold outside, so they're heating their homes, they're decorating with electric lights and candles. The might be doing entertaining where they have a lot of smokers in their home. These are all potential fire hazards."

Decorating for the holidays makes the season come alive. But better safe than sorry. Use common sense when putting up the decorations, and if you have questions about decorating safety, visit underwriters laboratories' website at www.ul.com.