by Jason Garland

Created on: December 15, 2008   Last Updated: December 17, 2008

Nothing spreads Christmas cheer quite like a spectacular display of colorful lights and Santa-inspired yard decorations. Both children and adults alike love to see their favorite Christmas characters come alive in the front yards of their friends and neighbors, and people love to oblige with roof-climbing Santas, waving Frostys, and nose-blinking Rudolphs in a myriad of creative displays.

This year the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a report addressing safe practices for outdoor holiday decorating in an effort to call attention to a number of safety problems that often result in holiday accidents, many of which involve children. Because children are attracted to bright, captivating holiday displays, they are the most vulnerable to accidents. While planning your yard display this year, here are a few tips to help keep kids safe.

Kid Friendly Decorations

Avoid or place out of reach decorations with small, sharp, movable or breakable parts. Children love to touch and grab anything that looks fun and inviting. It's a good idea to choose yard decorations made of sturdy, unbreakable plastic, particularly those made all of one piece. Very popular these days are soft, inflatable decorations. Not only are they light and easy to store, they can also tower over traditional plastic decorations! Kids love them and are unlikely to hurt themselves on them.

One unusual concern is imitation food decorations. Decorations or trimmings that look like food might be mistaken for food by young mouths. Plastic candy canes are a good example of a potentially hazardous decoration that a child might mistake for the real thing. It's best to avoid these and other food-like items. At the very least, hang them well beyond the reach of children.

Electricity in the Front Yard

Outdoor lights and moving decorations require electricity, and electricity is always dangerous when children are around. There are some ways to protect your visitors, however. For one, Underwriters Laboratories (UL), an independent non-profit product testing group, suggest buying only lights and decorations that have been certified for outdoor use. Lights, decorations and extension cords rated for safe use outside will be marked with a red "UL" imprint on the packaging. If you're using lights from Christmases past,be sure to carefully inspect them for damage and fraying. Anything that looks suspect should be disposed of.

Keep it Tidy

Dangling wire, cables strewn across paths, and stray strands of lights are all potential booby traps for excited feet. Keep these tied or staked down, preferably in out of the way places. You can always run light strands along gutters and tie them down with plastic ties. Extension cords sit nicely behind landscaping. Also, nails and tacks are just waiting for someone to fall on them. It's best to avoid them all together and instead opt for insulated staples. Take care when stapling that you don't pierce electrical wiring.

These tips, along with good common sense, will go a long way in making your special display safe for visitors of all ages. So get out there and unleash the lights!

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