By Janelle Buguis, Mary Rose Borca, Michelle Sarabosing

Safe Christmas Lights

This Christmas, every home is adorned with different colored lights that sparkle from the inside to the outside of the house. To ensure that your Christmas lights are safe from fire, follow these tips:

• When buying Christmas lights, you must first check and test the lights before making any purchase; always look for the Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) sticker on the product.
• Be sure that you follow the manufacturer’s instructions before plugging it in.
• Do not overload your extension cord by plugging in all your lights.
• Don’t forget to turn off the lights before going to bed or leaving your house.
• If it’s hot, unplug it.

Prevent Food Poisoning

Filipinos cook a lot for Christmas dinner and share their food with their neighbors. To prevent a clear case of food poisoning, follow these tips:

• Avoid contamination by washing your hand before and after holding any type of meat.
• Make sure all your containers are clean before using it.
• When serving food, make sure it’s cooked very well.

Travelling For The Holidays?

Many people choose to travel during the holidays by car, which has the highest fatality rate among major forms of transportation.

• After a holiday party, designate a driver to ensure your guests make it home safely; alcohol, over-the-counter drugs, or illegal drugs all cause impairment
• Make sure every person in the car is properly buckled up no matter how long or short the distance of travel.
• Put that cell phone away when driving; distracted driving causes one-third of all crashes.
• Properly maintain your car and keep an emergency kit with you.
• Be prepared for heavy traffic.

Watch Out Those Fire Starters

An increased use of candles and fireplaces, combined with the use of combustible Christmas decors, means a heightened fire risk.

• Never leave burning candles unattended or sleep in a room with a lit candle.
• Keep candles out of reach of children.
• Make sure candles are on stable surfaces.
• Don’t burn candles near trees, curtains, or any other flammable items.

Safe Christmas Parol

• If you’re thinking of reusing your old Christmas parol, consider buying a new one for a better and higher safety standard.
• To avoid short circuit, don’t let the children play with the parol by switching its light on and off.
• Beware of trailing cables and wires.

Personal Safety Tips

Every Christmas, people become more active outdoors. Here are some tips to secure your things and yourself.

• Keep your wallet in your front pocket.
• When walking on a sidewalk, always walk facing the traffic.
• If you think you’re being followed, switch directions or duck into a police or fire station, or a public place and ask for help.

Photo Edit: Von Pabalan

Have a safe and joyous Christmas—PropertyAsia.ph!