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Safety Tips: Winter Holidays

December is the time of year when most of us gather to celebrate many different holidays, including Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, New Year's Eve, and others. While the festivities vary from culture to culture and house to house, all share one common concern: safety. Festivities can easily turn to tragedy if we don't look out for some typical holiday hazards.

According to Underwriters Laboratory (UL), an independent not-for-profit product-safety certification organization, most fires and fire deaths occur in the United States during December, January, and February. UL credits the main culprits for these fires as faulty lighting, dried-out trees, and candles.

Additionally, UL reports that nearly 12,500 people each year are treated in emergency rooms for injuries related to holiday decorations. But you don't have to skip the festivities in order to enjoy the holidays, just follow a few safety guidelines.

No matter what blend of holiday traditions you choose to celebrate, add a bit of safety and a pinch of caution to the mix and you'll have the perfect recipe for a safe holiday season.