How to Stay Safe During the Holidays

Last Updated: January 2020

Whether you are hosting a holiday party, traveling to visit family or spending time in the kitchen, the holidays are a busy, fun-filled time of year. However, with the festivities also come potential hazards, including fire risks, winter road conditions and theft. With a little foresight and preparation, the holiday season can be a safe, stress-free time for everyone.

Holiday Travel Safety

As you probably know, traveling during the holidays is often a chaotic experience. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, long-distance travel increases by as much as 54% around the holiday season. In 2018, AAA reported a record-breaking 112.5 billion holiday travelers in the United States. With so many people sharing the road, stay vigilant and follow these tips for safe holidays.

• Get your car inspected before you travel: Before heading out for your holiday trip, have your vehicle inspected to make sure everything is working correctly — including tires with good tread and a functioning heating system — to keep you safe on the road.
• Have winter weather essentials in your car at all times: Always have essential winter driving items in your car before a trip, including a blanket, flares, a spare tire, drinking water and small snacks, a flashlight with extra batteries, tire chains, jumper cables and an ice scraper or snowbrush.
• Do not drive drunk: In 2016, more than one million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence — and that number does not include the millions of self-reported incidences across the country. Beyond the danger of hurting yourself or others, a DUI has significant financial and legal consequences that last for many years after an episode.
• Stay alert for other drivers who may have over-celebrated: Remember, you are likely not the only one on the road that has come from a holiday event. Stay alert and aware of drivers who may be driving under the influence. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, one of the worst times to be on the roads is between midnight and 3 a.m., as this is when drunk driving is most prevalent. However, to avoid collisions with other drivers, always drive carefully, and observe your surroundings. 
• Keep plenty of gas in your tank: To avoid running out of gas during cold weather, always make sure your tank is full before driving long distances in the winter. A good rule of thumb is to keep the gas tank at least half-full at all times.
• Watch for wildlife: Always be on the lookout for wildlife crossing the roads during the winter. This is especially important when driving in hazardous conditions, like snowstorms or heavy rain, because your visibility is already reduced. Pay attention to deer crossing signs and always go slowly near wooded areas.
• Always be aware of your surroundings: Be mindful of your surroundings when you park your car. Be sure to lock your doors when parking in a store parking lot, as thieves often target unlocked vehicles during the holidays. Be wary of strangers at gas stations or other areas where you may be vulnerable to theft. Never leave valuable items in the visible parts of your car, like the back seat. Instead, conceal the items in the trunk or cover them with a blanket.
• Know how to drive in winter weather: Know how to drive safely in all types of winter road conditions, including snowstorms, rain and other situations with reduced visibility. Be prepared to navigate icy roads, including black ice. Avoid driving on untreated roads or in areas with lots of steep hills.

Alcohol Safety

The holidays are a time for celebration and festive parties. With that comes holiday cocktails, eggnog, champagne toasts and spiked cider. Social drinking is a common part of many people’s holiday events, but it is important that you know your limit, as well as how to stay safe.  

• Have food with your alcohol: Drinking on an empty stomach can make you intoxicated quicker, leaving you less time to enjoy your beverage and the party around you. Eat before and while you sip an alcoholic drink to have more control over your intoxication level. Drinking on an empty stomach may also lead to digestive irritation.
• Know your limit: Binge drinking can be dangerous and has been known to cause several problems if left unchecked, including alcohol dependence, unintentional injuries to you or others, memory and learning problems and chronic diseases. Binge drinking can also cause alcohol poisoning, which can be fatal. Signs of alcohol poisoning include vomiting, blackouts, slow or irregular breathing, seizures and hypothermia. The best way to stay safe while drinking is to know your limit and only slowly enjoy one or two drinks.
• Only time can make you sober: Do not rely on cold showers or strong coffee to cut through intoxication — only time and hydration can make you sober. If you have had a little too much to drink at a holiday party, call a cab or rideshare to take you home. If these are inaccessible, ask a non-drinking friend to take you home.
• Be a friend first, then host: When hosting a holiday party, offer your guests a variety of non-alcoholic beverages, including plenty of water. Be sure to have phone numbers on hand for local cab companies, so your guests have an alternative way home if they have had too much to drink. Never let your guests leave in their own car if they are intoxicated.
• Discuss alcohol with your children: Use the holidays as a teachable moment for your children regarding alcohol. Even when they are young, a child’s habits and attitudes are shaped by watching how you behave, including while drinking. Open up a conversation with them and let them know that drinking is only okay when you are a legal adult and that there is a time and place for doing so safely. 

Christmas Tree Safety

During the Christmas season, millions of Americans celebrate by decorating either a real or artificial Christmas tree. While decorated trees are beautiful, they can be a hazard to you, your children and your home.

• Avoid lifting alone: If you choose to cut down your own Christmas tree, avoid cutting, carrying and lifting it alone to prevent possible injury or stress to your body. 
• Do not place fragile or hazardous ornaments where children can reach them: If you have small children in your home, do your best to eliminate the risk of glass cuts or choking. Do not hang fragile ornaments where your child can reach them. The same goes for small holiday decorations that your child might be tempted to put in their mouths.
  
• Do not let live Christmas trees dry out:  For Christmas tree fire safety, always keep your live or fresh-cut Christmas tree hydrated to avoid drying it out, which is a fire hazard. Give your tree one quart of cold, fresh water for each inch of stem diameter. 

Holiday Fire Safety

With fireplaces, decorations and holiday cooking, it is normal to feel a little worried about family safety and fire hazards around your home. Here are a few things to keep in mind this season:

• Hang your stockings with care: When you hang your Christmas stockings on the fireplace, make sure they are a safe distance away from the flames, so they do not catch fire. 
• Do not overload outlets: Be careful not to overload electrical outlets. Some signs that may indicate and overloaded circuit are tripped breakers, dimmed lights or buzzing noises coming from the outlet.
• Test all fire alarms and smoke detectors: The holiday season is the perfect time to inspect your fire alarms and smoke detectors. Make sure they are operating correctly and that each one has fresh batteries.

Holiday Lights Safety

Twinkling holiday lights are beautiful, but they can also be a safety hazard if used carelessly. Before you begin decorating, remember the following tips for Christmas light safety:

• Inspect lights before hanging: Always inspect light strands before hanging them on your tree or house. For fire prevention, do not use a strand if it has any broken or blackened bulbs, or exposed or damaged wiring.
• Unplug lights when you leave your home: Never leave your holiday lights plugged in when you are away from home. Unplugging holiday lights when you leave reduces the risk for fire and will keep your energy costs lower.
• Be cautious while hanging lights on your roof: If you choose to hang holiday lights on the roof of your house, never do so alone. Always have someone on the ground to hold the ladder and to seek help in case of a fall. Take care to follow all safe ladder practices, including wearing gripped gloves.

Kitchen Safety

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, each year there is an average of 1,400 cooking-related fires on Thanksgiving Day alone. With so many Thanksgiving feasts and Christmas dinners, practicing safe kitchen habits is crucial. 

• Stay in the kitchen while cooking: While you are cooking holiday meals, do your best to stay in the kitchen so you can continuously monitor your food. If using the stovetop, avoid leaving pots and pans on the burners if no one is around to check on them.
• Do not wear long or loose sleeves: Save festive holiday blouses and flowing formalwear for later. Long or flowing sleeves could easily catch flame in the chaos of a holiday kitchen. You should also pull any long hair back for the same reason. For added protection, turn all pot handles inward to minimize the risk of bumping them.
• Do not use water for a grease fire: Never pour water or use a pressurized fire extinguisher on a grease fire, as these could make the fire spread.
• Safety of the children in the kitchen: The holidays are a great time to introduce cooking and baking to the kids and letting them get involved by helping out in the kitchen. However, if you are dealing with hot liquids, oils or other dangerous foods, make sure small children stay out of the room to avoid burns or accidents. Let the kids help out with safer kitchen tasks, like cookie decorating.
• Be aware of food allergies: Be aware of a family member’s or other guests’ food allergies. Common food allergies to check for are tree nuts, dairy and gluten. If you know a guest has food allergies, make sure to avoid cross-contaminating those foods and remember to let your guest know about any potential risk for exposure. When in doubt, it is always better to be safe.
• Always cook food to the proper internal temperatures: Ham and turkey are popular holiday entrees, but are also among the most dangerous to eat if undercooked. Eating undercooked meat can lead to illness. Always cook meats to the proper internal temperature, and use a digital thermometer for the most accurate temperature reading.
• Avoid cross-contamination: Cross-contamination can lead to food poisoning and increases your chances of contracting salmonella or E. coli. Always wash and sanitize your countertops, cutting board, utensils and hands after handling raw pork or poultry to avoid cross-contamination.

Winter Weather Safety

In many parts of the country, winter weather comes with strong winds, icy conditions and blankets of snow. Stay safe this winter by:

• Salting sidewalks and driveways: Salt your driveways and sidewalks throughout the winter to melt ice and give you and your vehicle better traction. Please note, if you have pets, ice melts can be harmful to their paws or if ingested.
• Lighting sidewalks and walkways: Keep your sidewalks and other walkways well-lit to avoid slipping on unexpected ice or stepping into deep snowbanks. Solar lights are a simple, effective and energy-efficient way to light up the outside of your home. Another cost-saving option is lighting activated by a motion sensor, so they only turn on when movement is detected.
• Having video monitoring in place: Heading out for a warm holiday vacation? Monitor the winter weather back home with video weather monitoring software so you can plan your return accordingly.

Home Safety While Traveling

It is a well-known fact that home burglaries and package theft are rampant during the holiday season. To keep your house safe while you are away, follow these tips:

• Invest in a home security system: A home security system can alert you to suspicious activity, help you identify possible suspects and deter potential thieves from breaking into your home while you are away. Choose a system that has video surveillance, access control and home automation so you can have peace of mind while you are traveling.
• Use a security app: Download and use a home security app to view and control your home security system while you are away. With a security app, you receive notifications and alerts in realtime if anything happens at your house. You can also monitor your house through a video surveillance feed.
• Keep it off social media: During the holidays, it can be tempting to post your plans and pictures on social media for all your friends and family to see. However, this may signal to thieves that your home is currently unoccupied. For holiday security, practice care with your social media posts, especially if you use a public profile. Instead of posting about your trips as they happen, wait until you are back home.
• Put a hold on your mail deliveries: For extended trips away from home, put a temporary hold on your newspaper, mail and package deliveries. Piled up packages are vulnerable to theft, and they can alert a thief that no one is home, putting your house at risk.
• Let the police know: If you plan to be away from your house for an extended period — like for a holiday vacation — let your local police or neighborhood watch know that you will not be at home and that anyone on your property should be treated as a potential prowler. If you plan to have a house sitter or pet sitter, give them their names to verify if necessary while you are away.
• Do not leave hidden keys outside: If you hide a spare key under your doormat or in your mailbox, put it somewhere more secure before you leave your home for an extended period, especially during the holiday season. Consider giving the spare to a trusted neighbor or relative.

Let Lloyd Security Keep Your Home Safe This Holiday Season

Are you worried about theft or burglaries this holiday season? Let Lloyd Security help. For more than ten years, we have specialized in providing residential and commercial security systems, including high-tech products like motion sensors, access control systems, security cameras with video surveillance, glass break sensors and more. Contact us to speak with a representative and get your free quote today.