The holidays are a wonderful time to get everyone together. Unfortunately, they can also mean a greater risk of a fire in someone’s home. This holiday season, the American Red Cross of Central and Northern Missouri encourages everyone to follow simple steps to prevent home fires from holiday decorations.

Here are some holiday decorating safety tips:

-If you must use candles, keep them away from anything that could burn, and place them out of reach of pets and children. Never leave burning candles unattended.
-Check all holiday light cords to ensure they aren’t frayed or broken. Don’t string too many strands of lights together – no more than three per extension cord.
-Ensure outside decorations are for outdoor use and fasten lights securely to your home or trees. If using hooks or nails outside, make sure they are insulated to avoid an electrocution or fire hazard.
-If buying an artificial tree, look for a fire-resistant label. When putting it up, keep it away from fireplaces, radiators and other sources of heat. Never use electric lights on metallic trees.
-If getting a live tree, make sure it’s fresh and keep it watered. To test if the tree is fresh, bend the needles up and down to make sure no needles fall off.
-Don’t light the fireplace if hanging stockings or other decorations on the mantel.

For more safety tips, visit http://www.redcross.org/fire.