(holiday hip hop music) The air is crisp
and cold, neighbors are putting up lights,
and it's time to break out that special holiday punch.
We've got a very special "Ask Safewise" for you today.
So, gather around the fire, kids.
Let's get into some holiday safety questions.
Great question.
And honestly, this can be a year-round hazard,
not just when you're feeling extra merry
and bright.
To avoid pulling a Griswold,
it's best to keep it simple.
Don't daisy-chain your outlets, extension cords,
or power strips.
Pulling too much power
from your home can blow a fuse
or overload the circuit breaker. Or worse,
cause a fire.
You can learn more from our interview
with NFPA Senior Vice President of Public Education,
Andrea Vastis for more holiday safety tips like that.
The whole tree?
That's impressive, but definitely bad.
As a general rule, pets
and Christmas trees don't mix.
Fir trees, specifically,
can cause excessive vomiting, drooling,
and can even puncture your pup's insides with sharp needles.
And the water in your tree's base can can serve
as a tempting but terrible water bowl for your dog
that can cause stomach issues.
So, if you have a dog, it might be best
to just go with an artificial tree.
A pointer about other holiday plants:
skip the poinsettias.
They're mildly toxic to cats
and dogs.
So if you want some fa la la la foliage in your home,
keep it artificial
and out of reach from your furry friends.
The short answer is magic,
but it helps to clean your chimney flue once a year
before the big man shows up.
A good chimney sweeping isn't just helpful
to Saint Nick, it also reduces your risk
of carbon monoxide buildup
and ensures that your winter fires will get a nice,
healthy burn.
Plus, roasted chestnuts taste better
over a clean burning fire.
(lofi hip hop music)
If you're celebrating those eight crazy nights this year,
keep your pets in mind,
especially when it comes to lighting the menorah.
Just like those toxic plants,
it's best to keep them out of reach from your pets.
This can be tricky for cat owners,
but training them to stay
off the furniture is a really good start.
Only if they've been bad this year.
The German legend of Krampus dates back centuries.
He seems to only target bad kids,
but we're a little unclear on
what counts as bad coming
from an ancient child-snatching creature.
A good start to Krampus-proofing your home
might be festive bells on the doors or windows,
so any intruders, supernatural or otherwise,
will wake you in the night.
Luckily, human intruders can be slowed down or caught
with a home security system or on camera.
Regular reindeer? Probably not.
Magic reindeer? Definitely not.
Reindeer eat between 9
and 18 pounds of moss, hay, shoots, leaves
and grasses per day.
And, they require a lot of spaces to roam free,
not including airspace.
And while they're the only deer species
to be domesticated, it's probably best
to leave them up to the professionals
and indigenous folks in the Arctic.
Okay, honestly, this looks like a ton of fun to try,
but, here's where Buddy went wrong.
You gotta start with a tree that fits your house,
and, maybe consider an old-fashioned ladder or a step stool.
From our SafeWise family to yours, we hope you
and your loved ones have a safe
and happy holiday season.
We'll be back with new videos in 2022,
but for now, happy holidays,
and stay safe.