Be Safe This Staten Island Christmas
All this week I have noticed Christmas trees tied on top of cars, on their way home for the holidays. Before you put up your tree, make sure that you have prepared your home and decorations to ensure a safe holiday season. If you have a real tree, its important that you water it frequently, especially over the first few days you have the tree in your house. Normally, the base will be recut where you buy your tree before they put it on top of your car. If they haven't, you will need to cut about 1" off the bottom before you put it in the stand so that the tree will properly take up water into the trunk. You want to make sure that the tree doesn't dry out before Christmas day. Select a spot away from radiators or heating vents, which will quickly dry the tree out, despite your efforts at watering. Also, remember to keep lit candles away from the tree. An errant ember or the candle being knocked over may cause the tree to go on fire. The same holds true for Hanukkah Menorah. Make sure that the Menorah is kept away from curtains or drapes, which could burn if they come into contact with the lights.
When you are putting on the tree light's, make sure that the wires are not frayed or broken. Despite the small bulbs appearance, the electricity running through the wires is the same as that which powers your household appliances. If the frayed wires short, which means that the bare wires touch each other, a fire will result. Avoid using the large, old-style, screw-in light bulbs on a real Christmas tree. These bulbs get very hot and when they come into contact with a dry branch, they have possibility to start a fire. Instead of the large bulbs, buy the smaller, cooler mini-lights or even better, the new LED lights. These lights burn at a much cooler temperature and also have the benefit of using much less electricity. Although they are initially more expensive than regular incandescent bulbs, they last considerably longer and their cost is more than made up for in electricity savings.
If you have small children in the house, make sure that the tree is safely secured in the base to avoid tipping over. Keep glass ornaments on the upper branches, away from the small children, as they may break the ornament or ingest broken glass if they put the ornament in their mouth. Also, some of the berries present on holiday plants, such as Holly and Mistletoe, are toxic. Make sure to remove the berries if your plants are in an area where small children can eat them. Following these simple tips will help to ensure that your focus can be on enjoying the holidays. Please have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
