by Karen Jones

Created on: December 16, 2008

Decorating the house in preparation for Christmas is undoubtedly one that brings much excitement to the household. Tinsel, baubles, ceiling runners, fairy lights and a sparkling Christmas tree are guaranteed to lift the spirits of young and old alike; each eager to participate in the task of transforming the house into a glittering paradise.

There are several essential items that can make the decoration task even more enjoyable and accident free at this time of year.

For the children and vertically-challenged adults a step-stool or step-ladder will be required to safely pin ceiling runners in place or to dress the top of the Christmas tree. There is nothing more annoying than stretching beyond your normal reach to place the star or fairy on the top of the tree and watching your afternoon's work tumble to the floor.

Test your fairy lights with a circuit tester prior to placing them onto the tree - invariably there will be loose or damaged bulbs that need to be replaced; this will save you many hours of 'trial and error' at replacing every bulb individually in the circuit. It is a good idea to allocate this task to a competent adult the evening before you plan to use them.

Fairy lights and LED string-style lights that are intended to be displayed on the exterior of the house will need to be fitted with a circuit breaker. Check that this works correctly immediately prior to use - they normally have prominent 'test' buttons built into them for this purpose. You might find it beneficial to also link these lights to an electrical timer device.

It is always funny to watch small children and elderly relatives blowing hard into balloons and failing miserably; if you want to secure their help in preparing the decorations then the best option is to provide a balloon pump or a mini disposable helium gas cylinder. Both of these can be purchased relatively cheaply from card shops or party stores.

Christmas cards placed on all available surfaces can pose a fire risk if your house has an open-hearth style fire, a card string provides a simple solution to this; attach the cards to it with small purpose-made pegs or clips.

One of the simplest, yet most effective tools is a 'ribbon-curler'. Tie curling ribbon to your balloons or presents, then apply the tool to it - within seconds you will have cascades of ringlets which produce a stunning effect. Long lengths of this ribbon can also be used to hang from the tree instead of tinsel, or to suspend the glass baubles with.

The most essential gadgets that you will require are those that can save your life: smoke alarms. Check that you have these permanently installed at strategic positions in the house, and that they are fully functional - lights attached to a Christmas tree can occasionally overheat, thus presenting a fire risk.

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