Have a disaster-free holiday by practicing these simple (but essential!) Christmas safety tips.
10 Christmas Safety Tips to Help Protect Your Family
Updated on Dec. 10, 2023
The stockings are hung by the chimney with care…and the Christmas tree is safely placed three feet away from the fireplace. OK, that might not be how the old Christmas poem goes. But it’s a good tip to keep in mind! Read on for more Christmas safety tips to keep your loved ones safe this holiday season.
1. Replace Old Lights and Use Them Correctly
The lights bring holiday cheer for sure, but they can be a safety hazard. Use indoor lights indoors and outdoor lights outdoors, and always turn them off when leaving the house or going to bed. Be sure to replace light sets that have broken sockets or frayed wires.
Psst! Check out these charming (and safe) Christmas lights cookies.
2. Be Mindful of Poisonous Plants
Eating mistletoe is actually toxic. Keep it away from pets, along with other potentially poisonous plants like holly berries, Jerusalem cherry and amaryllis. Don’t miss our checklist to help “pet proof” your house for the holidays.
3. Practice Car Safety When Traveling
It’s always important to drive safely, but the Christmas travel season can be especially dangerous. Have your car serviced before leaving on a road trip, carry an emergency kit and give yourself extra time to avoid rushing. Remember to decrease your speed if you’re driving in snow or ice, and wait for snowplows and sanding trucks to clear the roadways before starting your journey.
4. Watch Out for Online Shopping Fraud
Unfortunately, the holiday shopping season is fraught with fraud. While you shop, carefully check that the website address is spelled correctly—fraudulent websites with similar spelling can trick you into giving away your credit card information. When checking out, be sure the payment page address begins with “https” (the “s” stands for “secure”). And as always, never click a link from an unsolicited email.
5. Don’t Make the Tree a Fire Hazard
To avoid the same fate as Clark Griswold’s tree in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, be aware of fire safety. Have the tree vendor cut off about 2″ of the trunk to expose fresh wood for better water absorption, and make sure there’s always water in the tree stand. Keep your tree at least three feet away from radiators or fireplaces. And if you buy an artificial tree, check that it’s labeled “fire resistant.”
Find more helpful hints for taking care of a real Christmas tree.
6. Properly Secure the Tree
No one wants Santa to get squished by a fallen Christmas tree. Make sure your tree is properly secured with a strong stand that doesn’t lean. If you have a fresh tree, don’t whittle or taper the trunk to fit your stand; this makes the tree less stable.
7. Don’t Burn Wrapping Paper in the Fireplace
Sure, a crackling fire in the fireplace is a must-have for cozy holiday events. Just avoid any fire accidents by practicing proper fireplace safety. Don’t burn trees, wreaths or wrapping paper; and always use a fireplace screen.
8. Keep the Raw Turkey Away From the Salad
One thing is for sure, nothing will ruin your Christmas dinner faster than guests coming down with food poisoning. Handle food safely with these simple reminders: keep raw meat away from fresh produce, wash your hands frequently, use a meat thermometer and use separate cutting boards for cooked and uncooked meats. See the food safety mistakes we’re all making.
9. Be Careful with Candles
The top three days for home fires started by candles are Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. To avoid a disaster, keep candles at least a foot away from anything flammable. Make sure candles are in stable holders that can’t be easily knocked down, and never leave burning candles unattended.
10. Hang Breakable Ornaments up High
Those colorful and shiny vintage ornaments are just too tempting for little ones! Instead, hang breakable ornaments at top of the tree. That way, kids can get in on the decorating fun without the worry of broken glass.
Have a Treat When You Trim the Tree
Shortbread Ornament CookiesThese buttery shortbread cookie ornaments are almost too pretty to eat! You can use cookie cutters in shapes of your choice. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen
Peppermint Schnapps Hot Cocoa SnowflakesMint and chocolate are perfect partners in these cutout cookies! —James Schend, Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin
Mincemeat CookiesYou can taste the spirit of Christmases past in these chewy old-fashioned cookies with their sweet caramel frosting. One batch makes 9 dozen cookies that freeze well for the holidays! —Betty Jorsvick, Olds, Alberta
Peppermint Hot Chocolate CookiesThese peppermint hot chocolate cookies are a variation of the cookies my mother made when I was growing up. Now my 13-year-old daughter and I bake them together. They’re always a huge hit! The taste is like rich hot chocolate baked into a scrumptious cookie. —Larry Piklor, Johnsburg, Illinois
Christmas Mice CookiesThese whimsical little cuties taste like truffles. Every Christmas, we make sure to have enough for friends and neighbors. —Deborah Zabor, Fort Erie, ON
Swedish Spice CutoutsMy sister, Judith Landgren of White Sulphur Springs, Montana, brought this recipe with her when she came to the United States from Sweden in 1928.
Buttery Spritz CookiesSpritz cookies are perfect for holiday cookie trays, or for any time during the year when you want a soft and delightful treat!
Dutch SpeculaasIn Holland, it’s tradition to mold this Dutch speculaas dough into the shape of St. Nicholas and serve the cookies on Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas Day). —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen
Hawaiian Wedding Cake CookiesMacadamia nuts and pineapple help give this Hawaiian cookie recipe its tropical name. —Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon
Horn Walnut CookiesIt takes only a few ingredients to create these elegant and delicious horns. This is a terrific make-ahead recipe because the dough can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to seven days. —Loretta Stokes, Philadephia, Pennsylvania
Penguin CutoutsYour children can help decorate these cute Christmas cookies. It's a great way to get them involved in the kitchen. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen
Fudge Bonbon CookiesThese fudgy favorites are double delights—the cookies are flavored with both chocolate chips and chocolate kisses. Drizzled with white chocolate on top, they're fancy enough for a buffet table. —Janice Smith, Cynthiana, Kentucky
White Chocolate-Cranberry BiscottiThe original version of this recipe was handed down from my great-aunt. Through the years, my mother and I have tried different flavor combinations...this is a favorite for all. —Brenda Keith, Talent, Oregon
Orange Gingerbread TassiesI make big Christmas cookie plates every year and it’s fun to have something with a different shape to include. These have a delicious flavor with the gingerbread and orange, and they are really easy! This is also yummy with lemon zest if you prefer that over the orange. You can also decorate with some candied orange peel if you have it.
—Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, UT
Gluten-Free SnowballsI took a classic holiday cookie and made it gluten-free. It’s now my husband’s favorite Christmas cookie. They’re so buttery, nutty and sweet—and everyone loves how they crumble in your mouth.
—Joan Sarge, Asheville, North Carolina
Butter Pecan CookiesThese buttery soft, flaky butter pecan cookies are rich in flavor and versatile enough to complement other desserts and sweet treats too.
Slice ‘n’ Bake Fruitcake CookiesA cross between classic fruitcake and buttery cookies, these treats are perfect for Christmas. Each one is chock-full of raisins and candied cherries.
Andes Mint CookiesTransform your favorite candy into a baked treat! These Andes mint cookies are better than any after-dinner mint. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen
Christmas Cutout CookiesDecorate artful Christmas cutout cookies for a cookie exchange or to leave out for Santa. Here's how to make them at home, plus plenty of icing tips.
Jeweled Coconut DropsRed raspberry preserves add a festive flair to these tender coconut drops. Perfect for potlucks and cookie exchanges, these shaped cookies never last long when I make them for my husband and two sons. —Ellen Marie Byler, Munfordville, Kentucky
Hot Chocolate CookiesUsing hot cocoa mix and marshmallow bits in the cookie dough really makes these hot chocolate cookies taste like the cozy drink. —Lisa Kaminski, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
Butterscotch ShortbreadAfter sampling these tender cookies in a specialty store, I knew I had to duplicate them. My version has lots of toffee bits and butterscotch chips. I’ve given away dozens as home-baked gifts. —Sandra McKenzie, Braham, MN
White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal CookiesThese white chocolate cranberry oatmeal cookies that I adapted from another recipe call to mind ones my mother used to bake. Instead of stirring in raisins like she did, though, I add bright red cranberries for festive flair. —Marjorie Goertzen, Chase, Kansas
Nutmeg Sugar CookiesThe holidays are my favorite time of year because I love to bake. These are one of my favorite cookies—they always disappear fast! —Jean Wysocki, Westminster, Colorado
Mexican Wedding CakesAs part of a Mexican tradition, I tucked these tender cookies into small gift boxes for the guests at my sister's wedding a few years ago. Most folks gobbled them up before they ever got home! —Sarita Johnston, San Antonio, Texas
Chai SnickerdoodlesWhen I think of winter, I think of two things: warm cookies and chai. My recipe combines the two in my favorite cookie recipe—snickerdoodles! —Evangeline Bradford, Covington, Kentucky
Chocolate Macadamia MacaroonsThis perfect macaroon has dark chocolate, chewy coconut and macadamia nuts, and is dipped in chocolate—sinful and delicious! —Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon
Lemon SnowflakesYou’ll need just four ingredients to make these delightful lemon snowflake cookies. Confectioners’ sugar highlights the cracked tops to give them their snowflake appearance. —Linda Barry, Dianna, Texas
