13 ways to childproof your house for the holidays

The run up to Christmas is a lovely time, but a house full of decorations, guests, fairy lights and interesting new smells is also a house full of temptations for a curious baby or toddler. Most holiday hazards are easy to sort out once you know what to look for, so it’s worth doing a proper walk around your home before the tree goes up rather than trying to fix things once the in-laws have arrived. Here are 13 practical things to check.

1. Anchor the tree properly

A real tree is heavier at the top than most people expect, and a toddler pulling on a low branch or a bauble can bring the whole thing down. Use a stand with a wide, weighted base, and if you can, tuck the tree into a corner and tie it to a wall hook or curtain pole with fishing wire or garden twine, low enough that it isn’t visible. This takes two minutes and makes a real difference if a child (or an over-excited dog) knocks into it.

2. Keep breakable and small decorations up high

Put glass baubles, anything with hooks, and small dangly ornaments on the upper two thirds of the tree, well above a toddler’s reach. Save the bottom branches for soft, shatterproof decorations. This is also the sensible spot to hang anything with a battery, a bell or a detachable part, since these are the pieces most likely to end up in a small mouth.

3. Check your lights before you plug them in

Every year, get the fairy lights out and actually look at them before switching them on. Check for cracked casing, exposed wire, or a burning smell from previous use. Look for a British or European safety mark (BS or UKCA/CE) on the packaging if you’re buying new sets. LED lights run much cooler than old-style incandescent ones, so they’re a safer choice if you’re upgrading. Cover any unused sockets with outlet covers, and don’t overload extension leads with too many decorations plugged in at once.

4. Rethink candles, or move them well out of reach

Candles are lovely for atmosphere but they’re one of the most common causes of house fires over the festive period. If you do use them, keep them at least a metre from anything flammable, on a stable surface a toddler can’t reach or pull down, and never leave them burning in a room you’re not in, even for a minute. Battery powered LED candles look surprisingly realistic these days and remove the risk almost entirely, which is worth considering if you have a baby who’s just started pulling up on furniture.

5. Be careful with mistletoe, holly and poinsettia

Mistletoe and holly berries can cause vomiting and stomach upset if a child eats them, so keep real sprigs well out of reach or use artificial versions instead. Poinsettia has a reputation for being deadly, but in reality it usually just causes mild mouth or stomach irritation if chewed, it’s not the serious poison it’s sometimes made out to be. That said, if your child eats any part of a holiday plant and seems unwell, or you’re at all worried, ring NHS 111 or your GP for advice rather than waiting to see what happens.

6. Fit a proper fireguard

If you have an open fire or wood burner, a freestanding guard isn’t enough once a toddler learns to push things. Fit a fireguard that screws or clips to the wall so it can’t be tipped forward. Keep matches, lighters and firelighters locked away rather than on the mantelpiece, and clear anything flammable, including stockings and wrapping paper, well away from the hearth.

7. Anchor tall furniture and decor

Christmas often means extra furniture is moved around, side tables appear from nowhere, and decorations get stacked on top of dressers and bookcases. Use anti-tip straps or brackets on any tall or freestanding furniture, and avoid putting anything tempting (a sparkly ornament, a bowl of chocolates) on top of something a child might try to climb to reach.

8. Watch tinsel and garlands for small parts

Tinsel sheds tiny foil strands that are easy for a baby to pick up, and garlands with sequins, bells or beads can come apart with a bit of tugging. Hang these higher up, secure them properly rather than letting them drape low across furniture, and do a quick check on the floor after decorating, small bits have a habit of ending up under the sofa.

9. Tidy away cables and cords

Extra lights and decorations mean extra cables trailing across the floor, which are both a trip hazard and something a baby will happily chew. Use cord covers or tape cables down along skirting boards, and keep any cord shorter than a child’s reach so there’s nothing dangling to pull on. Double check any electrical decoration isn’t near water, especially if it’s near a drinks table.

10. Clear away wrapping materials straight away

Ribbon, string and thin plastic wrap are a strangulation and suffocation risk for babies and toddlers, so don’t leave them lying around after gifts are unwrapped. Balloons are worth a special mention too, they’re one of the leading causes of choking injuries in young children, whether inflated or as a popped fragment, so keep them well away from anyone under about five unless supervised closely. Scissors, sticky tape and small ribbon bows should go straight in a drawer, not on the coffee table.

11. Keep an eye on drinks and glasses

At gatherings, half finished drinks tend to get left on low tables or the arm of the sofa, and a toddler exploring the room will happily pick one up. Keep alcohol on a high surface, clear glasses promptly, and be aware that mulled wine, eggnog and even some sweet-smelling drinks can be tempting to a small child who doesn’t know the difference. It’s also worth mentioning hand sanitiser, which contains a high concentration of alcohol and is easy to overlook as a hazard when it’s sitting by the front door for guests.

12. Check toys, batteries and magnets

If children are visiting with their own toys, or you’ve got new ones under the tree, do a quick check for anything with small, detachable parts. A good rule of thumb is the toilet roll tube test, if a toy or part fits through it, it’s a choking risk for a child under three. Button batteries and small, strong magnets deserve particular attention. If swallowed, a button battery can cause serious internal damage within hours, and swallowed magnets can do similar harm if more than one is ingested. If you ever suspect your child has swallowed either, don’t wait for symptoms, take them to A&E straight away and tell staff exactly what you think they’ve swallowed.

13. Prepare for guests, not just for your own home

A lot of holiday hazards actually arrive with visitors rather than being already in your house. Handbags and coat pockets often contain medication, mints, vapes or hand sanitiser, all things a toddler can get into if a bag is left on the floor or a low chair. Ask guests to keep bags up high or in another room, and if you’ve got stair gates or cupboard locks fitted, it’s worth a quick, friendly word so grandparents and visitors know to use them too, rather than propping a gate open “just this once.”

A calmer, safer Christmas

None of this takes the magic out of the holidays, if anything it means you can actually relax and enjoy the tree, the lights and the chaos of Christmas morning instead of hovering anxiously. Most of these checks take a few minutes each, and doing them once before the season gets going means you’re not scrambling to fix things with guests in the room. If you’re ever unsure about a specific product, plant or situation, your health visitor, GP or NHS 111 are worth calling, they’d much rather answer a “probably nothing” question than have you worry it out on your own.