You’re number one priority is keeping everyone in your household safe, including the family pets, and of course, especially your children. But what about the holidays? Your beautifully decorated Christmas tree with dangly ornaments and blinking lights; candles and bowls of Christmas treats dotted around the living room or family room; the potted poinsettias and pine boughs adorning the hallways, tables and stairways all can pose potential hazards to children and pets alike. Particularly if there are very young children in the home, there are things you can do to keep everyone safe and happy during the holidays.
The Tree
Choose decorations for your tree that will not become potential choking hazards. Avoid tinsel and both children and pets can choke if it is swallowed. Some cats especially like to eat tinsel. Ditto for angel hair.
Save the really dangly ornaments for the higher branches where they won’t pose a temptation to be grabbed or played with (by little fingers or paws).
Make sure the tree is level and secure. If possible, place a screen around the tree to keep pets and toddlers away.
Potential Poisons
Fake it! Holly, poinsettias, mistletoe and pine cones call all be dangerous to pets and young children if ingested. Use artificial versions of these holiday plants to be on the safe side.
Bubble lights sometimes contain methylene chloride, and even if they are labeled non-toxic, can pose a threat to children they drink it.
Avoid using snow sprays on windows, mirrors, etc. that are accessible to children.
When young children are around, don’t leave drinks unattended. Whenever possible, clear away the glasses with left-over alcohol in them before you go to bed. Young children and pets can be very susceptible to alcohol poisoning.
While we’re visiting with family and friends, it’s easy to forget about putting away food that has been sitting out for awhile or immediately wiping down a counter where raw egg was spilt. Because incidents of food poisoning rise during the holiday season, remembering simple food safety rules is important.
You may have managed to train your kids not to feed the pets from the dinner table. But during the holidays it may be tempting for them to give their pet friends a little taste of chocolate or other holiday goodies. Chocolate can be toxic to pets. Foods like cheese and rich pastries can really upset an animal’s digestive system. Pets can choke on the small bones in pieces of meat like chicken and turkey. Discourage family and visitors alike from feeding the pets.
Other Safety Tips to Keep in Mind
You’ll be doing a lot of baking and cooking during the holidays. Be extra vigilant regarding kitchen safety.
Put candles out of reach. Never leave a burning candle unattended.
Dogs and cats can react differently to strangers or having a lot of “extra” people in their space. Give them down time or a place of there own that will be visitor-free. This will prevent them from becoming agitated and perhaps prone to biting or attacking.
Never assume that just because there is an adult or older child in the room, that they will watch the younger ones or keep an eye on the pets. If you have to leave the room, “assign” someone to be the “room monitor.”
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Whether we’re traveling by plane or car, I am selective when I’m when packing toys. Try to choose favorites, the ones that your children play with for hours on end when they’re at home. Toys and toys sets with a lot of moving parts and loose pieces can be a recipe for disaster – easy to lose, spill or get left behind. 
