“Decorating for the holidays is a much-anticipated tradition, but don’t forget that safety should play an important role in all holiday merriment ,” said Randy Holmes at Sneade’s Ace Home Center, Owings, Maryland. “Trees, lights, and fireplaces can be a festive debacle, so it is critical to identify and eliminate potential danger spots in these areas. Completing simple tasks like placing candles away from decorations and securely fastening your tree to its stand will ensure that your holiday season is joyous and accident-free.”

Holmes recommends the following tips, tricks and products to keep your winter holiday happy, bright and full of cheer:

·          Let There Be Light:   Plug all of your interior holiday lights into timers, like Ace’s Indoor Timer, which runs 24-hours a day and has multiple on/off settings. The timer will ensure that your lights shut off at a desired time and will help to conserve energy. By using indoor timers and other new lighting technologies, you can reduce energy use from lighting in your home by 50-75 percent. Also, make sure all electrical holiday decorations have tight connections, and if possible, use grounded, three-prong plugs and cords like Ace’s 3 Outlet Grounding Adaptor to protect against shocks and shorts.

·          Green Holiday: LED lights are a great new option for holiday decorating. Not only are they energy efficient, but they also are extremely durable and have a brighter and richer color. Try the LED M5 Icicle Lights in white, warm white and multi-color strands, which use 90 percent less energy and can last up to 10 years!

·          Dreaming of a White Christmas?: Light up the driveway for your holiday guests with the Snowflake Luminaria Kit, which comes complete with everything you need for six walkway lanterns including bases, die cut snowflake inserts, bags, and tea light candles. These accessories are a great alternative to hanging lights around the home and are easy, reliable and safe to use. To prevent fires, it is essential to keep the candles away from plants and other combustibles and to blow them out after parties and before going to bed.

·          No Need to Trim This Tree : Save time by celebrating the season with a Kensington’s 7’ Artificial Pre-Lit Tree. With an elegant silhouette, this tree will be the center of attention at any holiday gathering. The strong, heavy-duty branch construction will hold all of your decorations with ease and there is no need to struggle with tangled lights. Just set it up, plug it in, and let your holiday shine! Whether your tree is real or artificial, when setting it up, it’s best to place your tree away from fireplaces, radiators or portable heaters as well as out of the way of foot traffic.

·          Decorating with Care: When decorating for the holidays, whether inside of your home or out, never climb on chairs or other furniture. Always use a sturdy, properly set ladder for reaching high places. When setting up the ladder, open it completely and ensure that all locks are engaged.    To use, always face the ladder when climbing, keep your body centered, and make sure that the ladder is on level ground. Werner’s 6’ Type II Fiberglass Stepladder is perfect to use when tackling holiday decorating projects. The non-conductive ladder has a tool tray top and slip resistant footing – ideal for those wintry and rainy days.  

·          Prevent Chimney Fires : Before family and friends arrive, use the Creosote Chimney Sweeping Log to prevent chimney fires in the home. The log neutralizes, burns and treats creosote in your chimney in less than two hours. Also, remember that fireplaces make poor incinerators. Avoid tossing Christmas trees, pizza boxes and driftwood into fireplaces. These materials flare up fast and could cause a fire.

“The winter holidays are the time for family, friends and fun , ” said Holmes. “With loved ones in mind, it’s important to take caution and care when getting ready to put up your holiday décor. Although it is the “most wonderful time of the year,” accidents related to holiday decorations lead to over 12,500 injuries and 150 deaths every year. Safety doesn’t have to take a back seat to your creativity, but when making your house look festive, follow Ace’s safety tips to ensure a happy holiday season!”