Christmas tree lights.

Seeing a Christmas tree twinkling with a string of lights is a magical part of the holidays. Lighting up a Christmas tree originated in Germany, supposedly with Martin Luther seeing the stars through an evergreen forest and wanting to replicate the sight for his family by putting candles on his tree. An American man named Ralph Morris invented the first electric Christmas lights in 1895 in response to the widespread fires caused by candles wired to trees. While real flickering candles might look beautiful, trees and fire do not mix. Christmas trees can be engulfed very quickly and are the cause of fires every year, causing property damage, taking lives and destroying families. Here are some safety tips courtesy of Safestart to keep you and yours safe this holiday;

• Never put real candles on your Christmas tree.
• Keep real trees watered to avoid drying out—brown, dead needles are much more flammable.
• Don’t try to dispose of your tree by putting it in the fireplace.
• Don’t place your tree close to a heat source.
• Use lights with a UL safety certification. 
• Consider using LED holiday lights as they consume less power and create less heat.
• Inspect the lights to ensure they are not frayed or torn. 
• Never use electric lights on a metallic tree.
• Always have a fire extinguisher on hand in the event a small fire does break out.

You can get your own premium real Christmas tree to make shine right here at Gardeners Junction!