The season of good cheer is an exciting time of year. The day after Thanksgiving, lights are already going up all over Bucks and Montgomery Counties. However, the hustle and bustle of the holiday season can lead to allkinds of unfortunate accidents. You already know about the hazards of deepfrying a turkey or climbing on an icy roof to put up Christmas lights. So instead, we here at Paul Davis of Bucks and Montgomery Counties have gone the less obvious route. Here are eight NEW holiday safety tips to protect your loved ones and your property from dangers.

1. FIRE IN THE FLUE: When you’re lighting up the wood fireplace, you have more to worry about than just soot or creosote residue causing a fire in your flue. There’s also the risk of barbecuing a raccoon, squirrel, or bird that’s gotten wedged in your chimney. That’s a good reason to have your chimney swept and cleaned before you light up that Yule log. Just have the chimney sweep check to make sure it’s not Santa stuck up there.

2. WARM AND TOASTED: Perhaps you live up north but have guests from warmer climates staying over the holidays. Using a space heater for the guest room may seem like a good way to keep the Floridian relatives warm. However, space heaters are involved in 25% of home heating fires (and cause 75% of home heating-related fatalities). It might be safer to simply turn up the thermostat on your central heating to keep everyone cozy.

3. WINTER SLIP AND SLIDE: A blizzard can make it difficult to open a door; but even a small snow drift can make it tough to close your sliding glass door. When you slide the door open, snow that’s piled up on the other side falls down into the track. This creates an icy obstacle in the door track and leaves a pile of snow to melt on your floor, creating a slip and fall hazard. To prevent this, keep the outer sliding screen closed during snowy weather. It will act as a buffer to keep most of the snow from direct contact with your glass door.

4. THE DE-ICE THAT’S NICE: De-icing your walkway or stoop is a smart safety tip; but it can cause damage to your property. Regular rock salt can harm concrete and kill vegetation. Treat the pathway to your home with more environmentally friendly magnesium chloride instead. Mix this ice melt product with green sand to cut down on salt contamination even further and add a festive look to your walkway.

5. GET A WARM GLOW: Christmas lights installed alongside walkways during snowy and icy weather are actually a good safety tool. These lights give off a soft glow at night - unlike harsh halogen lamps that create glare. If you pick a neutral color like gold or white, you can leave them in place even after the holidays are over.

6. UNWANTED CHRISTMAS SIZZLE: You know you’re supposed to water your live Christmas tree to keep it from drying out and becoming a fire hazard. Just remember tounplug the lights first. Otherwise, you could end up as one of the dozens of people who have been electrocuted by their Christmas tree in the last 15 years.

7. CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT SURPRISE: Antique ornaments are whimsical and are often passed down from generation to generation. Don’t let those happy memories fool you. Old electrical bulb lights can cause shocks and fires. The ancient candle holders that preceded electricity are even more of a fire hazard. Many antique decorations contain high quantities of lead. When you learn the history of your heirloom Christmas decorations, be sure to find out about any dangerous materials used.

8. LEAD TO SAFETY: Did you know that even modern Christmas lights often have lead in their cords – but that only California requires these products to have a warning label? Remember to wash your hands after handling lights this year (or wear gloves).