Santa wants you to be safe

I don’t want to be a Debbie Downer, but it behooves all of us right now to think just a little about holiday safety. Coz as my dear old ma used to say, it's all fun and games, isn't it, until someone gets hurt. So check out the following no-duh tips from CSA International, which provides product testing and certification services for electrical products in Canada and the U.S.

Don’t buy electrical products that are missing a certification mark from an accredited certification organization, such as CSA International. Without such, they could be fake. Tell-tale signs include packaging with inferior design, partial illustrations and misspelling. Be wary of very low prices.

Discard Christmas light strings with frayed cords, cracked lamp holders or loose connections. Use insulated fasteners such as tape or plastic clips — never tacks or staples — to hold lights in place.

Don’t run electrical cords through doorways or under carpets and rugs, and don’t hang decorations on or near fire sprinklers, fire extinguishers, exit corridors or exit signs. It is, however, okay to string unlit lights around your head - especially if you're an impossibly cute child (see pic above).

Before working with outdoor wiring, turn off the electricity to the supply outlet and unplug the connection.

When hanging lights outdoors, keep electrical connectors above ground, out of puddles or snow and away from metal gutters.

Make sure your home is equipped with carbon-monoxide (CO) alarms. One smoke alarm is not enough; install them on every level of your home and outside all sleeping areas.

Don’t store holiday wrapping paper and decorations near your gas furnace.

Click here to see a short animated video on potential holiday dangers. Click here for more info on holiday  safety tips.