How to stay safe while cooking and decorating this holiday season

(CNN) - The Consumer Product Safety Commission on Tuesday used dramatic demonstrations to warn of the pitfalls that can ruin a happy holiday and the stunning statistics behind injuries related to holiday decorating, cooking and toys.

“The unthinkable can happen in an instant and fires involving Christmas trees and candles are far too frequent in this holiday season,” said Alexander Hoehn-Saric, CPSC Chairman.

The CPSC says an average of 1,600 cooking fires take place on Thanksgiving Day, more than three times the daily average.

The CPSC says to stay close while food is on the stove or in the oven. If you are frying a turkey, place the fryer far from the house and never on the porch or in the garage.

It also reports nearly 15,000 people were treated in hospital emergency rooms last holiday season between November and January due to decorating-related injuries. More than 40% of those injuries involved falls.

CPSC wants to also remind us all that a live Christmas tree needs plenty of water. A dry tree is a more flammable tree. Lights on a Christmas tree should be checked regularly for broken light bulbs and frayed wires.

When it comes to holiday toys, CPSC researchers observed a “downward” trend from 2015 to 2022 in toy-related injuries for children 14 years and younger.

“When you’re buying toys, make sure they’re age-appropriate because we do see a lot of injuries associated with small parts for children,” Hoehn-Saric said.

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