The holiday season is filled with decorating, feasting and shopping — but it can also bring unexpected stress and risks. Don’t let illness or injury dampen your celebrations. While accidents can happen any time of year, the hustle and bustle of the holidays often create extra opportunities for mishaps.
Eat, Drink and Be Merry
When people think of the holidays, they picture friends and family gathered around a table sharing a meal. But even that can have its dangers. Make sure the meal you share is a safe one.
When cooking:
- wash your hands before and after handling food
- pay attention when cutting – don’t slice a finger
- keep children and pets away from the stove so they don’t accidentally get hurt or burned
- keep raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs separate so you don’t cause cross contamination
- use a meat thermometer to make sure food is cooked to the right temperature
- make sure nothing flammable is touching the stove
While eating and drinking:
- remember healthy eating habits and try not to overeat
- try eating smaller portions when presented with a lot of different foods
- if you choose to drink alcohol, drink in moderation
- plan ahead for how you’ll get home if you drink
- don’t get behind the wheel if you’ve been drinking
If a friend or family member has too much to drink, take their keys and don’t let them drive. Find them a sober way home.
Dashing Through the Snow
The weather can be unpredictable this time of year. Stay aware of the weather conditions where you are and where you’re going. To prepare:
- Bundle up if it’s cold. Wear layers, hats and gloves.
- Watch out for icy conditions on roads including bridges and overpasses. They’re the first to freeze.
- Watch for icy sidewalks and driveways and step carefully.
- If making fires inside or out, make sure the location is appropriate and keep all flammable items away from the flame.
- Get your fireplace and chimney checked regularly to make sure you can make a fire safely. Talk to your chimney sweep or other fireplace expert on how often that should be.
- If the power goes out, don’t use gasoline or charcoal burning devices inside, like generators or grills. That puts you at risk for carbon monoxide poisoning.
Santa Claus is Coming to Town
A good Santa’s helper gives gifts that won’t cause injury. Make sure you:
- give a helmet with a bicycle or skateboard and make sure the rider knows how to wear it properly
- follow age guidance on toys you give to keep children safe and match their interests and abilities
- prevent choking hazards by keeping small balls and parts away from children under three
- throw away plastic packaging immediately to prevent it from being a dangerous toy
Deck the Halls
On average, there are 160 decorating-related injuries each day during the holiday season. Many of those are related to fires. To prevent a fire, make sure:
- your live tree has plenty of water
- your artificial tree is fire resistant
- you plug only three strings of lights together and never overload an electrical outlet
- the lights you use were tested for safety
- you don’t use light sets with broken sockets or frayed cords
- you don’t leave candles burning when you’re not in the room
- your smoke alarm is working properly
Forty percent of holiday decorating injuries are related to falls. Make sure:
- cords are secured to the floor to prevent a tripping hazard
- ladders are on level ground and don’t lean too far when decorating
- to use ladders and step stools carefully when putting up decorations
Don’t Be a Grinch
No one wants to be sick and grumpy over the holidays. There are a few simple things you can do to keep yourself and others well:
- Wash your hands with soap and water often. Alcohol-based cleaners, like hand sanitizers and wet wipes, are good substitutes if you don’t have access to a sink.
- Stay up to date on vaccinations like flu and COVID-19 shots to help you and everyone around you stay healthy.
- Cover sneezes and coughs in your arm or with a tissue. Wash your hands as soon as you can.
- If you get sick, stay home. Help protect the people around you by keeping your distance.
- Physical activity keeps your body healthy. Exercise helps to improve lung capacity.
- Get plenty of rest. A rested body can help fight off an infection.
- Don’t stress. Incidents of heart attacks go up in December and January. If you have signs of a stroke or heart attack, call 911 right away. Don’t wait. It might save your life.
Resources for TRS-Care Standard and TRS-Active Care
Know Where to Get Care
If you do get sick or have an accident over the holidays, know where to go for care.
Resources for TRS-Care Medicare Advantage
Let’s Move
Let's Move by UnitedHealthcare is here to help keep your mind, body and social life active – at no additional cost to you. With simple resources, tools, events and personalized support, Let’s Move helps you explore ways to eat well, stay connected and be financially, physically and mentally fit — all at no additional cost to you.
To explore, visit Letsmovebyuhc.comthrough your member website.
You can also participate in live, virtual events to learn how to cook healthy meals, be physically active and explore other wellness topics by visiting the events page.