Who doesn’t love the scent of Christmas? Fresh boughs of evergreen, fresh baked goods straight from the oven: cinnamon and vanilla, cranberries and mulled wine, all olfactory boosts at the most wonderful time of the year.
As lovely as those aromas are, fresh boughs of evergreen, Christmas candles left to burn too long, an unwatched fire can lead to a dramatically increased chance of fire, according to the American Red Cross.
Every year, nearly 156,000 fires occur in the U.S. during the holiday season. Many of them are preventable by taking these basic precautions.
When it comes to live trees, keep them watered. If you have a fake one, make sure it’s flame-retardant. Make sure the tree stand won’t tip over. Keep the tree away from heat sources.
Don’t use Christmas tree lights with frayed wires; don’t plug them into frayed electrical cords and don’t overload your electrical outlets. Unplug your tree lights before turning in for the night and use decorations that are flame-resistant.
Don’t leave candles burning unattended and never, ever, (as pretty as it is), use lit candles to decorate a Christmas tree. Make sure candleholders won’t tip over easily and their containers won’t burn or melt. Keep candles out of reach of children or the swipe of a pet’s tail.
Follow these basic precautions and make sure the scents of Christmas this year don’t include the unexpected smell of smoke.