Stay Safe. There’s no surprise learning that the holiday season isn’t exempt from accidents. In 2013 alone, there were a reported 56 thousand unintentional accidents at home. The holidays, it seems, are prime opportunities for accidents, as cooking and decorations increase just to name a few. Here are some tips to avoid becoming a statistic.
Decorating
Whether it’s a tree, a menorah, or just something more festive, there are more reasons to tear around your home during the holidays.
When decorating elevated areas like railings, bookcases, tree tops (and outdoor trees), and more be sure to have appropriate equipment like step stools and ladders—even if you can just reach that farthest point.
It’s also a good idea to never decorate by your lonesome. Just in case you do lose your balance, especially on ladders, someone can be there to steady you, or in the event of a nasty fall or cut, someone to administer first aid or call an ambulance.
Keeping children from decorating high areas is also a good practice. This isn’t to say that they can’t participate; instead, they can focus on the lower areas. Be sure to not let them decorate unsupervised for style and safety reasons.
Cooking
Food is arguably one of the most important elements of the holiday season, from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day. But that also makes it one of the most stressful. And with more and more preparation and expectations, it’s easy losing focus for a moment, which can lead to cuts, bruises, or burns.
Whenever possible try to prepare dishes or ingredients ahead of time. This helps but less stress on larger meals, especially those where socialization is a must. Less time in the kitchen means more time being with friends and family.
Also, by focusing on less tasks, you’re less likely to put yourself in harmful scenarios.
Exercising
Maintaining a healthy routine is important during winter time. Although we Texans don’t have as many issues with snow and ice, shorter days mean less sunlight for outdoor activities.
While morning people may have cause for celebration, those of us who are more active after work hours are less enthused. If you do choose or prefer exercising outdoors, make sure you wear some form of reflective or blinking gear. With more people returning home in low light or dark situations, it’s imperative you make yourself seen. Plus. evening commuters are less likely to be at full attention, with their thoughts on returning home.
A good alternative is investing in an at-home workout routine, whether that’s sweating it out in front of the television or treadmill.
There are many ways to stay safe this holiday season, but also keeping yourself and others safe might be the best present of all.
