End of the year holidays can be some of the best times for gathering in your home with family and friends. The warmth of relationships, memories, comfort food and festive decorations. Paying attention to a few details can protect your holidays and your home from a Clark Griswold Christmas Vacation (Chevy Chase movie from 1989).

Fire Safety: 

Keep your “real” Christmas tree well watered. Occasionally pull on a few needles all at once. If they come off the tree too easily it may be too dry and a fire hazard. Most of us are already using cool LED lights but if you are still using traditional bulbs it's time to upgrade.  If you are using an “artificial” Christmas tree make sure it is labeled Fire Resistant.

If you use candles, use ones where the flame is below the rim of the container, they are on stable furniture, and nothing is above, particularly cut greens. Extinguish all candles when leaving a room.

 Lights are a great way to be festive, but read labels and follow instructions regarding how many can be strung together. Use weather guards where they plug together outside. And be aare of the limits of any particular plug powering multiple light strings.

Check your fire alarms and smoke/carbon monoxide detectors and change batteries if needed.  Change your air filters, if needed, and have your chimney cleaned.  .

Security: 

Security is also important during the holidays. Keep travel plans offline.  Don’t post when you are leaving, where you are going, or when you are coming home.  In fact, don’t post images from your vacation until you are home. Burglars can use this information to plan when your home will be empty.   

Don’t leave gifts, wrapped or not, in plain view in your home or your car. Secure in the trunk or carry them with you. SUV luggage covers are a mixed bag, as they can invite criminals to assume you are hiding valuables. So unless you really are hiding valuables it might be safer to not use it and show there is nothing worth breaking in for.

We hope you have joyous holidays celebrating with the closest of friends and family.