Take time out this year to make sure your home is a safe haven for visitors and loved ones. With a bit of forethought, you can offer a welcome refuge to traveling visitors and ensure your family and friends enjoy a warm and safe holiday season.

Holiday Lights: Holiday lights should not be left on overnight. Designate a responsible adult to unplug all lights before bedtime or leaving the house. Use timers or designate a responsible person to turn the lights off. Carefully check all lights before use for frayed wires, damaged insulation, loose connections, and broken or cracked sockets.  Careful handling during unpacking, decorating, and re-packing will reduce the chance of damage to the lights.

The Tree: Let your child's age dictate how you will decorate your Christmas tree. Babies and toddlers may put ornaments in their mouths, so be sure to place glass bulbs, lights, tinsel, and ornaments that are delicate or have removable parts out of reach. Remember that popcorn is a choking hazard for children under age 5. You could place the tree on top of a table (without a tablecloth) or put a safety fence around it.

Portable (Space) Electric Heaters: Home heating fires are the second leading cause of fire deaths in American homes and the leading cause of home fires in December and January. Keep portable electric heaters at least three feet away from anything that might burn, including furniture, bedding, clothing, pets, and people. Turn portable heaters off when you aren't in the room or when you go to sleep. Don't leave children and pets alone or unsupervised in rooms where space heaters are in use. Do not dry clothing over portable heaters or place combustible materials near them. Plug space heaters directly into wall outlets and don't use extension cords.

Toys: Select toys to suit the age, abilities, skills, and interest level of the intended child. Toys too advanced may pose safety hazards for younger children. To prevent both burns and electrical shocks, don't give young children (under age ten) a toy that must be plugged into an electrical outlet. Instead, buy toys that are battery-operated. Children under age three can choke on small parts contained in toys or games. Government regulations specify that toys for children under age three cannot have parts less than 1 1/4 inches in diameter and 2 1/4 inches long. Children under age 8 can choke or suffocate on un-inflated or broken balloons. Remove strings and ribbons from toys before giving them to young children.

Other "Look-Outs":

• Have visitors put luggage and purses up high where they can't be reached.
• Ask visitors with medications to secure them out of reach of little ones.
• Remove all wrapping papers, bags, paper, ribbons, and bows from tree and fireplace areas after gifts are opened. These items can pose suffocation and choking hazards to a small child or can cause a fire if near an open flame.
• Remember that the homes you visit may not be childproofed. Keep an eye out for danger spots.
• Do not burn wrapping papers in the fireplace. A flash fire may result as wrappings ignite suddenly and burn intensely.