Holiday Safety

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The holiday season is a special time of year and a great opportunity to spend time with friends and family. But holiday routines can also give rise to greater health and safety hazards than would normally occur. It is important to keep safety in mind during the festive season.

Here are some resources to help you enjoy a safe and happy holiday:

• Fire and Light Safety
• Healthy Eating and Food Safety
• Responsible Drinking
• Staying Active and Healthy
• Travel Health
• Toys and Gifts
• Other Holiday Health Resources

Fire and Light Safety

Are you planning on using candles or electric lights to decorate or set the mood this holiday season? Or lighting a fire to bring warmth and a cozy atmosphere into your home? If so, it is important to be careful and use these items properly so that they do not pose a fire safety risk to your family.

Health Canada has plenty of information on how to use lights, candles and fire safely within your home.

• Holiday safety - safety tips for holiday trees and lights.
• Candle Safety - is a short, easy-to-read factsheet on how to handle candles in a safety manner.
• Burning Candles Can Be Dangerous - more information about how to use candles safely.
• Smoke Detectors - all you need to know about smoke detectors.
• Wood Smoke - steps you can take to minimize the risk of health effects for your family and neighbors.

When decorating your home, only use lights that have been certified by a recognized organization - CSA, ULC or cUL.

Advisories

• Health Canada Reminds Canadians of the Dangers of Carbon Monoxide and How to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
• Health Canada Urges Consumer Caution This Holiday Season
• Health Canada Reminds Canadians of Electrical Safety This Holiday Season

Healthy Eating and Food Safety

The holidays and food go hand in hand, but food borne illnesses do not take a holiday. It is important to prepare your food safely to avoid any health problems.

There are basic steps you can follow to have safe and healthy holiday meals:

• Clean: Wash hands, contact surfaces (e.g., kitchen counters) and utensils often to avoid the spread of bacteria;
• Separate: Keep raw foods separate from cooked and ready-to-eat foods to avoid cross-contamination;
• Cook: Make sure you kill harmful bacteria by cooking foods to the proper internal temperature; and
• Chill: Keep cold foods cold. Bacteria can grow rapidly when food is allowed to sit in the so-called danger zone between 4°C (40°F) and 60°C (140°F).

Use refrigerated leftovers as soon as possible, ideally within two or three days.

Additional Information

• Healthy holiday eating - a few tips to help you enjoy your favourite holiday foods while saving some room for healthy eating.
• Holiday food safety - contains safety tips on how to reduce the risk of foodborne illness for your family and friends during the holiday season.
• Turkey food safety tips - presents simple rules to follow in the kitchen to help you protect your family from food poisoning.
• Safe internal cooking temperatures - protect your family by following some simple rules.
• Allergic reactions - learn more about the health effects of allergic reactions and how to minimize your risk.
• A well-balanced diet gives you the energy you need to enjoy the holiday season. Consult Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating to learn the amount of food you need every day from each of the food groups.

Advisories

• Government of Canada Reminds Canadians of Holiday Food Safety

Responsible Drinking

Will you be hosting or attending a party this holiday season? If alcohol will be present, it is important to plan ahead and drink responsibly to stay safe and avoid injury.

To drink safely and responsibly:

• Limit your consumption of alcohol. Space your drinks at least an hour apart;
• Have something to eat while you are drinking;
• Try alternating alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks throughout the party to cut down on the amount you drink;
• Drink only if you want to. Don't be pressured into accepting a drink; and
• Don't drive. Take a taxi, public transportation, walk or decide who is to be designated driver before the party starts.

Additional Information

• Responsible Holiday Drinking - is a short, easy-to-read fact sheet on how to drink in a responsible manner.

Staying Active and Healthy

It is important to keep your health in mind when you are enjoying the festive season. This holiday, stay active by getting outside and enjoying all that Mother Nature has to offer. Be sure to play safe and have lots of fun. The holiday season is also flu season. Make sure to get the flu shot to protect you and your family from getting ill.

Here are some resources to ensure you and your family stay active and health this holiday season:

• Canada's Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living - use this guide to help you make wise choices during the holidays.
• Seasonal flu
• Sun safety
• Winter Sports Safety

Travel Health

Are you planning to get away this holiday season? Be sure to read our information on travel health to ensure you have a safe and relaxing holiday. Don't forget to continue practicing sun safety on vacation.

You can also visit Travel.gc.ca where you will find information on destination safety and security, local laws and customs, entry requirements, health conditions, and emergency contact information for Canadian offices around the world.

Toys and Gifts

Trying to find the perfect holiday gift this season? Our toy safety tips will help ensure the toys you choose will not only be enjoyed, they will also be safe for children.

Additional Information

• Toy safety - additional resources to help you choose toys to keep children safe when they play.

Additional Holiday Health Resource

• Fun and Safe Holiday Season!