“It’s a time when people are busy and supervision of children is more difficult,” says Seana Tamisiea, injury prevention program manager at Children’s Medical Center Dallas.

• If you have a Christmas tree, buy a fresh one. It should have sticky resin at the bottom and needles that bend instead of break. Keep trees away from fireplaces. Keep stands filled with water so needles don’t become brittle and fire-prone. When buying an artificial tree, look for “fire resistant” on the label.
• Decorate with care. “Take time to reassess the ornaments that are on your tree or that are put throughout the home,” says Tamisiea. If you have small children, avoid glass ornaments, decorations with small removable parts that kids could swallow, or ornaments that look like candy.
• Use caution with candles. “Realistically, with young children it may be better not to use candles at all,” Tamisiea says. If you do, put them where they can’t be knocked over or ignite trees, decorations, wrapping paper, clothing and curtains. “And never, ever leave a child alone with a lit candle or go to bed with (it) still lit.”
• Inspect holiday lights. “Check to make sure the wires are not frayed or broken and make sure not to overload the cords by plugging too many into one outlet, which can cause an electrical fire,” says Tamisiea. If the cord is hot when in use, it isn’t safe.
• If you have a fireplace, add a sturdy screen. That helps prevent sparks from igniting newspapers, carpeting, curtains or upholstery. The screen also acts as a barrier between the fire and small children.
• Keep fresh batteries in smoke detectors. You should have one on every level of the home, especially near bedrooms. Develop an evacuation plan and make sure everyone knows it, including guests.
• Ensure kitchen safety. Adults can lose track of children as they cook big holiday meals. Tamisiea suggests assigning an adult to supervise children. Move knives, other utensils and hot drinks away from counter edges, turn pot handles toward the back of the stove and keep children away from hot ovens.
• Watch kids open their gifts. Even if you buy age appropriate toys, small children can get into things meant for older siblings. “When there are lots of children frantically opening gifts at one time, it creates excitement, and smaller (children) can be enticed by toys that are not appropriate for them,” says Tamisiea.