With Thanksgiving over and the Christmas season now officially in full swing, people begin decorating trees and setting candles in their windows. While traditions are important to families, the Chandler Fire Department notes that safety is essential to ensuring that the holidays are enjoyable.

TREES

• Artificial trees should be fire resistant, a characteristic that should be noted on the label.

• With live trees, make sure they're fresh - dry, dead trees are more flammable. Check for resin on the trunk of the tree and when bounced on the ground, no more than a few needles should fall. The needles should also be flexible in your fingers and hard to pull off the tree.

• No matter what tree you get, make sure you set it up away from fireplaces and radiators.

LIGHTS

• Make sure you use only lights tested for safety by a recognized testing lab and check each set for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires and loose connections.

• Don't use more than three sets of lights per extension cord.

• Never use electric lights on a metallic tree, it can become charged with electricity from faulty lights and can electrocute anyone who touches the tree.

• Fasten outdoor lights securely and use only insulated staples to hold strings in place, or run them through hooks rather than nails and tacks

• Turn off lights when you go to bed or leave the house.

• For extra protection, plug outdoor lights and decorations into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interrupters. These devices can be purchased and permanently installed by an electrician.

DECORATIONS

• Use only flame-resistant materials to trim a tree. That means tinsel or plastic icicles made of plastic and non-leaded metals.

• Don't use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens and use only non-flammable holders, and place candles where they won't be knocked down.

• If you have small children, watch for sharp or breakable decorations and keep trimmings with small, removable parts out of reach. Also avoid trimmings that look like candy or food.

FIREPLACES

• Do not burn wrapping paper in the fireplace. It can cause a flash fire when it ignites suddenly and will burn intensely.