Clark Griswold may be funny but he is not a holiday decorating role model. In National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Chevy Chase’s character turns holiday cheer into chaos — wrecking his and his neighbor’s houses, frying circuits, and tumbling off the roof. Funny on screen, but dangerous in real life.

National Grid reminds you: safety isn’t a punchline. There’s no Hollywood magic to save you from fire, shock, or injury when putting up your tree or hanging lights. Make safety your top priority this season. The company offers these tips as you begin your holiday decorating this season.

• Safely decorate the Christmas tree. According to the National Fire Protection Association, electrical cords or lighting equipment were involved in more than 40% of home Christmas tree fires, and nearly one in five Christmas tree fires was started by decorative lights.
  • Make sure natural trees are well-watered to prevent the heat of incandescent light bulbs from igniting a fire.
  • Decorate the tree in moderation, avoiding the temptation to overload branches or hang ornaments on wires.
  • Keep extension cords and strings of lights away from the tree stand and water bowl.
  • An artificial tree should carry the Underwriters Laboratories label, signifying that it has been tested for flammability.
  • Never use electric-powered decorations on trees with metallic needles or branches.
  • Only use tree trimmings and decorations that are noncombustible, flame resistant and nontoxic.
  • Always keep pets away from the light strings, extension cords, tree stands and water bowls.
    
    
• Look up before decorating outdoors.
  • Do not hang decorations near or on electricity lines, which carry live electricity. Coming into contact with a power line could cause serious or fatal injury.
  • Keep at least 10 feet between decorations and any lines.
  • Never use an aluminum ladder within 10 feet of power lines or related equipment.
  • Practice basic ladder safety. Make sure it is on firm, level ground. Wear slip-resistant shoes. To prevent collapse or falls, never use the top two steps on a ladder.
  • Test your smoke alarms to ensure they are in good working order and change their batteries, if necessary.
    
    
• Stay safe outdoors.
  • Decorate outside using lights and other fixtures specifically labeled and rated for outdoor or all-weather conditions.
  • Keep outdoor cord connections dry by using waterproof cord covers to protect connections, or by keeping them off the ground.
  • Fasten all outdoor lights securely to your home or trees to prevent wind damage. If using nails or hooks, ensure they are insulated to prevent fire or shock.
  • Plug exterior lighting into ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI), available at hardware and home improvement stores. These devices will automatically cut power when faults occur, preventing electric shock.

• Don’t overload circuits. Overloading a home’s electricity circuits can trip fuses and breakers.
  • If a circuit breaker trips, unplug decorations connected to that breaker and power it back on, adding less decorations back to that plug.
  • Never double up extension cords or power strips.
    
    
• Practice lightbulb safety.
  • Light strands should carry an Underwriters Laboratories label, noting they have been tested and safe to use.
  • Unplug lights before going to bed or leaving home.
  • Do not use a strand of incandescent lights with burned out or missing bulbs to reduce the risk of electric shock.
  • Check each strand of lights and discard any with cracked sockets and frayed or bare wires.

National Grid is committed to providing our customers with a variety of energy-saving tips and billing options to help manage winter bills. Customers in need of billing assistance or additional support can visit Here For You to learn more.

About National Grid

National Grid (NYSE: NGG) is an electricity, natural gas, and clean energy delivery company serving more than 20 million people through our networks in New York and Massachusetts. National Grid is focused on building a smarter, stronger, cleaner energy future — transforming our networks with more reliable and resilient energy solutions to meet state climate goals and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.