It’s the most wonderful time of the year – but the mixture of busy celebrations and winter weather bring some additional risks during the festive season.

Here are 12 sets of safety tips to help you stay safe this Christmas:

Twinkly lights shining through windows are one of the first signs Christmas is rapidly approaching.

But as with all electrical items, faulty or misused equipment can lead to fires.

After a year packed away in a cupboard, lights can become unsafe, so check for damage such as frayed wires or damaged bulbs.

We recommend using LED lights because they generate little heat and there are no glass lamps to break, reducing the risk of fire.

Never overload electrical sockets – only use one plug per socket, and don’t ‘daisy-chain’ extension leads by plugging one into another.

Remember to turn your lights off before you go to bed or leave the house.

Aside from lights, other festive adornments can also pose a risk.

Decorations burn easily, so keep them away from heaters, lights, candles and other heat sources. 

That counts as much for your Christmas tree as it does paperchains, tinsel or plastic banners.

If you have a real tree, keep it fresh and regularly watered – a dry tree is highly flammable.

If you’re using an artificial tree, make sure it is fire retardant and complies with safety standards.

It’s easy to be lured by bargains when Christmas shopping, but if something is too good to be true, it probably is.

Counterfeit or poorly made products can pose a risk of electrical fires.

Buy from reputable retailers and check to make sure products meet British safety standards.

You can register many appliances after you have bought them, ensuring you get warnings and product recalls if a fault is found by the manufacturer.

From advent crowns to festive scented burners, candles are a popular part of Christmas for many people.

But it’s important to remember safety advice when burning naked flames in your home.

• Place candles on stable, heat-resistant surfaces

• Keep them away from flammable materials, including curtains, paper and Christmas decorations

• Don’t leave candles unattended – extinguish them when you leave the room

• Consider using LED alternatives

Christmas is a time of sharing food with family and friends. 

However, cooking is the leading cause of fires in the home in the UK, so it’s important to stay safe, especially at a time where it’s easy to get distracted or you may have enjoyed a festive tipple:

• Never leave cooking unattended and try to avoid distractions.

• Don’t cook if you’re under the influence of alcohol or medication.

• Keep towels, cloths and packaging away from the hob and the oven.

• Clean your cooker, grill and oven regularly to prevent fat and grease build-ups.

Electric bikes and scooters are becoming increasingly popular, and likely to be found on Christmas lists this year.

As with all electrical items, ensure you are buying products which meet safety standards, and from reputable retailers.

E-bikes and E-scooters pose a particular risk due to their use of large lithium-ion batteries.

Before you buy one, think carefully about where you might charge it

Ideally, charge in a shed or other outbuilding rather than in your home.

Don’t charge in bedrooms, hallways or anywhere else which will block an escape route if there is a fire

Always use the supplied charger, or buy a replacement from the manufacturer, rather than choosing a cheap alternative.

More information is available via the National Fire Chief’s Council ‘Charge Safe’ page

‘Tis the season for social events, but enjoying some festive cheer can end in tragedy.

Each year, we support the Royal Lifesaving Society (RLSS) ‘Don’t Drink and Drown’ message.

The majority of drownings involve people walking or running near water, and the RLSS points to figures showing 46% of accidental drownings of people aged 18-25  involve alcohol and/or drugs.

• If you’ve had a drink, stay away from the water

• Find an alternative route home, avoiding waterways

• Make sure your friends get home safely, and don’t walk home alone if you can avoid it

• Remember: cold water shock kills.

You can read more in our full coverage of the 2025 campaign

Winter brings greater challenges on the roads, including shorter days, icy roads and poor visibility.

At the same time, social events, Christmas shopping and family get-togethers see many braving the elements.

Be mindful of the conditions, adjust your driving style appropriately, and ensure both you and your vehicle are safe to drive.

It’s also a good idea to keep winter and emergency essentials in the car, such as an ice scraper, first aid kit, torch, and empty fuel can.

Sunglasses may seem an odd essential in the winter months, but the low sun can dazzle drivers and cause glare.

More information is available on our Road Safety page

If your home has a wood burner or open fire, or you’re staying in a holiday let which does, Christmas may well be a tempting time to light it for some festive glow and warmth.

To help you keep safe:

• Only burn approved solid fuels, such as ‘Ready to Burn’ wood

• Keep the firebox door of your wood burner shut to prevent fuel from escaping

• If you have an open fire, use a fireguard to prevent sparks and embers from reaching flammable materials such as carpets

• Extinguish the fire before you leave the house or go to bed

• It’s also important to keep flues clear of soot and debris, so book an approved chimney sweep if yours is overdue a clean.

Many of us will be hosting family and friends over Christmas and New Year, and it’s important to keep everyone is safe.

Make an escape plan and discuss it with family and visitors, so everyone knows what to do and how to get out in the event of a fire.

If you’re using extra heaters to keep guests warm, be safe:

• Keep portable heaters away from curtains, furniture and decorations.

• Ensure they aren’t used to dry clothes, and remember to turn them off when you go out or go to bed.

This is as good a point as any to remind you to ensure you have working smoke alarms fitted, and test them regularly!

Whether it’s broken festive lights or defunct electricals from a twixmas clear-out, your rubbish could be a disaster waiting to happen if you don’t take care.

Batteries have caused hundreds fires in bin lorries and at waste transfer sites in recent years.

Lithium-ion batteries can be found inside many everyday household electricals, from laptops, mobile phones and tablets, to electric toothbrushes, vapes and earpods – as well as festive light-ups and even musical Christmas cards.

These batteries can become crushed or damaged in bin lorries or at waste sites if they aren’t recycled and can lead to fires which are particularly challenging to tackle.

The Nation Fire Chiefs Council recommends using the Recycle Your Electricals locator to find the nearest place to safely dispose of your batteries and electricals.

Fireworks will appear back in registered shops in the run up to New Year’s Eve.

We’d always encourage you to attend an organised display, but if you do decide to buy your own:

• Only buy fireworks with a CE or UKCA mark on the box to ensure they are safe

• Remember only adults can buy and set off fireworks

• Always follow the safety instructions provided with your fireworks to help prevent accidents and keep everyone safe. 

We hope you have a safe and happy Christmas and New Year!

More information on celebrating safely is available in our ‘Celebrations’ section