Alcohol - A Common Christmas Danger

Christmas and the new year are perhaps the ultimate occasions on which to enjoy a drink. I bet you're planning to serve fruit punch, mulled wine, or bubbly drinks. I'll take the opportunity to remind you that sober friends and relatives really don't enjoy socializing with someone who is drunk. Furthermore, the holiday doesn't end with Christmas eve. Were you planning to attend Church? A hangover is not so charming.

Glass Christmas tree decorations can turn into a horrible hazard when you are drunk, and the same goes for kitchen knives. Even a glass of water spilled on the floor can send you to the ER in no time if you slip! Still, having a few drinks is an important part Christmas for most people. Alcohol is fine when you enjoy it in moderation and take some common-sense precautions. Those people planning to have a drink should not drive, and families with kids should designate one parent or caregiver who will stay sober.

While we are on the subject of children — that fruit punch looks rather appealing, doesn't it? Alcohol poisoning is, sadly, an avoidable health hazard that many kids fall victim to all year round. Christmas, during which most people enjoy more than a few drinks, poses a special risk. Make absolutely sure that your punch bowl is not within the reach of any toddlers who are attending your Christmas party.

Christmas Tree Lights And Other Unlikely Hazards

Those Christmas tree lights look amazing, and that is probably exactly why some kids swallow bulbs. Burns and electric shocks are other Christmas-light hazards, but there is one more danger you need to be aware of. Like blind cords, small children could easily get caught up in a string of Christmas lights — with deadly consequences.

Parents of young children should never leave their kids in the same room with a Christmas tree unsupervised. Besides the Christmas lights, glass decorations, anger hair made from glass fiber, and the Christmas tree itself all have the potential to seriously injure small kids.

The gifts are waiting for your children under the Christmas tree deserve some scrutiny as well. Many toys and games contain small parts that pose a choking hazard to the littlest ones, but you figured that one out already. It's toys with lead-based paints that you should be really careful with. Purchasing presents from reputable toy shops will go a long way toward keeping your children safe, and checking whether your chosen gift has a safety certificate also helps.

Holiday Stress And Violence

Even the most organized, Martha Steward-like person is bound to be stressed out during the holiday season. Hosting dinners, buying gifts, and simply the pressure to be happy can be overwhelming. For people suffering from mental health problems, Christmas can be the biggest health buster of them all!

Police statistics warn us that cases of domestic abuse also go up by one-third on Christmas day. This is important for you to know if your partner has violent tendencies. If you suffer from a mental-health condition that can cause you to be violent, that information can serve you very well too.

Though Christmas is very nearly here, it is not too late to talk to your therapist about handling the holiday stress. Those who feel they are at risk — either of being violent, or being the victim of violence — still have time to make arrangements that can keep them and others safe. Checking into a mental health facility is a good option for those who think they may harm themselves or others. Staying with friends or family could b e a possibility for those with violent partners, but you should not hesitate to ask a domestic violence shelter for help either.