Decorating Our Home Safely and Securely for the Holidays

At this time of year, it always seems as though our home is lit from within. Nights are shorter and we spend a majority of our time holed up indoors. This is where it's important to double-check your home electrical system to ensure it has the appropriate amperage to supply the proper amount of electricity to outdoor equipment and accessories including Christmas lights.

If this supply is not adequate and there are too many lights outside feeding off of one outlet, it could overload the system and cause it to pop the fuse or trip the breaker. When this happens, you could leave your house full of light, then come home to a darkened space. To remedy this, it's important to space out the amperage correctly so you're not placing too much of a load onto a single outlet. This may require buying multiple outdoor light sensors. Most Christmas lights use outdoor light sensors to turn on whenever it gets dark and turn back off as the sun rises. Or, the lights can be set on a timer according to your preference. This means you're only using your lights at the peak times of night when they're most likely to be visible.

Additionally, be sure not to use multiple extension cords in a series, as these could be a fire hazard. And, place electrical cords in well-drained areas to prevent standing water from coming into contact with them. This could create a safety hazard and lead to electrical shock.

Our blinds were temporarily open so we could snap this picture of our newly-lit tree to show our friends and family. Yet, we were careful to leave our plantation shutters closed during the evening and at night, as well as any time we weren't home. The reason for taking this precaution is that it's all too easy for passersby to look inside your windows and view any packages lying underneath your tree during this time of year.

We have our front drive protected with a sign from our ADT Security system, but this is just an extra measure we always take to safeguard our property. The same practice applies to leaving packages on your front or side stoop. If you're expecting one and know you won't be home for a while to receive it, arrange for a neighbor to pick it up so it isn't sitting in plain view and vulnerable to theft.

We always enjoy hanging an oversized, well-lit Christmas wreath over the middle, main portion of our home. While this is an eye-catching element that brings our community joy, it can be a challenge to install. My husband uses an extension ladder to do so.

If you have a similar setup make sure that if you have heavy decorations such as this that they are anchored properly and harnessed securely so they don't create a fall hazard. Also, be sure to practice ladder safety during installation. Be conscious of how high off the ground you are and of course, it's always wise to get someone to help stabilize and spot you, especially if you are using an extension ladder. Read any safety tips that may be available on the ladder, as some ladders have different ranges in how much they can be extended, as well as regulations around how they need to be secured in place. Pay attention to weight limits and it's always wise to wear sturdy shoes that have a good sole when climbing up or down a ladder.

One last tip: It's easy to overlook, but it's common to hang Christmas decorations in areas that are low-hanging and can come into contact with a person standing nearby. In the case of our Moravian star, this was an important consideration because the object was quite pointy and sharp!

Be conscious of high-traffic areas and ensure that if you do have any decorations in those areas, that they are as well-lit as possible to prevent any accidents.

This was just a little tour of our holiday decor, along with some ways that we sought to make it as visitor-friendly and safe as possible. It can be easy to get wrapped up in the excitement of planning and decorating and overlook critical safety features. With a little foresight and preplanning, you can make this season both productive and protected.