Decorating an Older Haddonfield Home for the Holidays: Fireplaces, Candles, Trees and String Lights Done Safely

Older Haddonfield homes are made for the holidays: a real fireplace, deep window sills, a front parlor that wants a tree. They also come with radiators, older outlets and a lot of wood trim. The fix isn't to decorate less. It's to follow a few simple distances the fire safety folks agree on: trees 3 feet from heat, candles 12 inches from anything that burns, and lights that are tested and checked.

Why December is the month to be careful

The National Fire Protection Association says candles start about one third of home decoration fires all year, and that jumps to about half in December. Christmas tree fires aren't common, but when they happen they grow fast. NFPA says a heat source too close to the tree causes nearly one in four of them, and almost half start in the living room.

The tree: 3 feet from the radiator, too

Both NFPA and the U.S. Fire Administration say to keep the tree at least 3 feet from any heat source, and they name radiators, heat vents and fireplaces specifically. In a house with a radiator under every front window, that's the part people miss. Pick the spot first, then buy the tree to fit it.

• Cut about 2 inches off the trunk right before it goes in the stand.
• Add water every day. Heated rooms dry trees out quickly.
• Don't block a doorway or exit.
• Take it down after Christmas or as soon as it's dry. NFPA says 35% of Christmas tree fires happen in January. Don't stash it in the garage or lean it against the house either.

The mantel: garland, yes. Wrapping paper, never.

A fireplace screen keeps sparks off the rug and away from anything you've draped nearby. The Consumer Product Safety Commission is blunt about one thing: don't burn wrapping paper in the fireplace. It can ignite suddenly and cause a flash fire. Bag it for recycling instead.

If your garland hangs low over the opening, rethink it on nights you're burning a fire.

Candles: 12 inches and a stable holder

Keep candles at least 12 inches from anything that can burn, in sturdy holders where kids and pets can't knock them over. Never on the tree. Blow them out when you leave the room or go to bed. NFPA says more than half of candle fires start when something flammable, like curtains or decor, is too close.

Honestly, for deep window sills and a mantel full of greens, flameless candles are the easy answer. They look good and you'll stop doing the bedtime candle check.

String lights: check them before they go up

• Use lights listed by a recognized testing lab, like UL or ETL. Some are indoor only.
• Toss any set with frayed wires, cracked sockets or loose connections.
• Read the box for how many strands you can connect.
• Outdoors, plug into a GFCI outlet or a portable GFCI.
• Turn the lights off when you leave or go to sleep.

If your outlets are old two prong types or a breaker trips when the tree goes on, that's a call for a licensed electrician, not another power strip. We covered more old house winter care in our piece on plaster walls and radiators. And when the house is done, here's the downtown holiday schedule.

Sources

• NFPA winter holiday fire facts
• NFPA Christmas tree safety tip sheet (PDF)
• NFPA candle safety
• U.S. Fire Administration holiday fire safety
• CPSC holiday decorating tips

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