Holiday Decorating Safety Tips 101

by Laura Monteverdi, Reporter
December 02, 2012 3:23 PM


Deciding which Christmas tree you want can be a tough choice, but the most important choices you can make this holiday season are the safe ones.

Derek Heath is a lighting and holiday decorating expert at the Home Depot on Louise Avenue in Sioux Falls and he has a few safety tips that can come in handy for those who are in the decorating mood this year.

His first tip is on Christmas tree safety.

“It needs to be constantly watered to make sure there is water in it to prevent it from drying out. That's when holiday trees can become a real issue is when they dry out and needles become dry and they can become a fire hazard,” said Heath.

The easiest way to avoid a fire hazard or a big electric bill is to be smart about lighting. Heath says LED lights are the way to go to save money and how you hang them is important too.

“Unfortunately people put lights up with metal clips and sometimes they'll even staple them in place. That is not usually a good idea,” said Heath. He said plastic clips work best because they aren't flammable.

Another smart way to decorate safely is by using an extension cord rather than running the risk of overloading an outlet.

"You want to make sure to put the extension cords in places where people are not going to trip over it or fray it,” said Heath.

Heath's last tip is simple.

"If you're using an extension ladder it's usually very important to have a second person that can stabilize the ladder for you,” said Heath.

Be sure to follow these tips for a safe and happy holiday season.