Christmas Elf & Safety Tips

Hang onto your baubles friends, Santa will be squeezing down your chimney in no time at all! By now, your tree will be up and cards will have started to litter your window-sill... you may just be entering the panic-present-buying stage, or maybe your name is Kaz Warren and you’re bouncing up and down on your office chair with unlimited Christmas glee...

So! We want to grab your attention before you race into the holidays, to share a few Elf & Safety tips to help keep you and your family safe this Christmas…

Baby, it’s cold outside

Christmas in England is cold, it gets dark quickly and the rain (and sometimes snow/ice) mean that you need to wrap up warm, stay vigilant, and take extra care when you’re walking, driving and cycling on wet or slippery surfaces.

Mistletoe and wine

Nothing to say about the mistletoe, other than buy some and make good use of it 😉. But the wine - and any other tipple of your choice - needs to be considered. Please don’t drink and drive… walk or get public transport instead. If you’re staying at home this year, then that is the perfect opportunity to get merry!

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree

Make sure you turn off your tree lights whenever you go out or go to sleep - trees can catch fire and go up in flames within seconds. The same goes for candles, only have them lit when you’re in the room! If you have a real tree, keep it watered to reduce the fire risks. 

Brown paper packages all tied up with strings

Christmas presents - and all of the wrappings and bows and ribbons - look beautiful and make Christmas feel extra special! Just keep an eye out because they can be fire, choke and trip hazards. Make sure toys are age-appropriate for children, and be careful that they aren’t left playing with anything that may end up in their mouths! Do your best not to leave cards, presents and paper near anything flammable either. Also - toys and wrapping left in walkways become slip and trip hazards!

Deck the halls

You also need to keep an eye on decorations, especially novelties that are often mistaken for small toys - they are NOT legally required to meet The Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011. Read the fine print on anything to double check, and make sure they don’t make their way into the hands of babies and young children.

All I want for Christmas is you food.

We love food. At least 90% of iHasco’s conversations are about food - it’s just the best. Simply the best. Better than all the rest.

If you’re the one hosting this year, get family and friends to help you cook so you’re not flustered or rushed. Use scissors rather than knives to open food packaging, and make sure you turn the oven and hob off when you’re done cooking! You can always put someone on washing-up/cleaning duty so things are cleaned and tidied as you go - this reduces a lot of hazards and stress!

Tip: Cook the turkey first, get it out of the oven and keep it under foil and tea towels to keep it warm. Then roast all of the veg etc, so you’re not overloading the oven.

Another tip: Don’t count the calories for a few days. Food - enjoy it, savour it, share it!

And here’s a few extra things you can do...

• Hide presents from curious kids in a locked suitcase
• Put strawberry Santa hats on your cakes and mini-baked goods
• Protect your baubles by storing them in empty egg boxes
• Make a wish at midnight on the 31st
• And most importantly... enjoy yourself!