Some Christmas tree decorations can be dangerous, both due to the materials and the quality of their manufacture.
To ensure that the New Year remains not only a joyful but also a safe holiday, I'll share some recommendations for choosing Christmas tree decorations.
1. Smell the Christmas tree decoration before buying it.
A high-quality Christmas tree decoration should not emit any unpleasant odors. It may smell if the paint and/or materials are cheap and contain harmful substances such as formaldehyde and lead. These can cause skin irritation, poisoning, or accumulate in the body.
2. Fabric tapes or beads with glue are dangerous
The glue used to make cheap Christmas tree decorations is often unsafe (it contains acetone, phenol, dichloroethane, and others). These substances can be released into the environment during gluing. Beads made with such glue can easily break off and end up in a child's mouth, nose, or ear.
You can glue decorative ribbons to your Christmas tree yourself, using a safe adhesive (such as Kores Eco Universal Adhesive or any other adhesive you trust). You can use a single ribbon or two ribbons of contrasting textures and different widths.
3. Perform the palm-napkin test
Before purchasing, you can gently wipe the toy with a napkin or your palm. If any paint or glitter remains, don't buy it.
4. The power and thickness of the Christmas tree garland matter
If you're buying a garland to decorate a Christmas tree or a room, 50 watts is sufficient. For outdoor garlands, a higher wattage—60 watts—is needed. Anything more is not recommended, as it increases the risk of overheating and even fire.
The wires for the garland should be thick copper—the thicker, the better. And no unnecessary frills, which could easily catch fire. The minimum cross-section of the garland wire is 0.5 square millimeters, and the wire itself should have high-quality, flexible, and dense insulation.
However, inexpensive Chinese garlands rarely meet these requirements. Therefore, it's better to choose domestically produced products.
Before purchasing, ask to turn on the garland and observe whether an unpleasant plastic or burning smell appears after a couple of minutes.
Don't plug in store-bought lights straight from the cold. Let them warm up for at least half an hour.
ImportantLED string lights are safer than incandescent ones because they are powered by low voltage rather than mains power. A power bank is sufficient for them.
5. Plastic is better than glass or ceramics
Mom, let me just look, I'll be careful! Bam – and the fragile glass ornament is scattered on the floor in tiny shards. Do you really need that? That's why plastic ornaments are better. They're cheaper than glass ones, and especially ceramic ones. And the huge variety of shapes, colors, and designs of plastic ornaments allows you to decorate your tree anew every year.
If you absolutely must have a glass or ceramic ornament, hang it high up, out of reach of playful children. To add a touch of flair and visual appeal to your Christmas tree, you can combine three ornaments of different sizes—whether they're the same color or contrasting.
Which Christmas toys are not suitable for small children?
Many parents think their children are very smart for their age and therefore capable of playing with Christmas tree decorations. This is incorrect. The age range for toys is determined by safety factors, not the child's intelligence.
- Avoid balls and other Christmas tree decorations less than 5 centimeters in diameter, as they may get stuck in the throat and interfere with normal breathing.
- The toy should not have sharp edges or small parts, such as eyes, wheels or buttons, that could come off and get into the child's mouth or nose.
- The toy must not have ribbons, strings or cords longer than 18 centimeters (otherwise there is a risk of strangulation).
- Tinsel and tinsel aren't the best choice for families with small children or pets. Small parts can easily break off and be swallowed by children or pets.
Eco-friendly toys – stylish, fashionable, safe
Eco-friendliness is a hot trend these days, and even the toy industry is embracing it. And that's a good thing, because in addition to being safe, these toys create a sense of comfort and connection to nature.
These decorations are made from wood, textiles, dough, clay, dried fruits, dried flowers, paper, foil, and even oven-dried cinnamon, chili peppers, and citrus fruits. You can make these toys yourself; there are plenty of videos on YouTube about it.
And don't forget about a stunning tree skirt, which naturally draws attention to the lower part of the tree and helps create a finished, harmonious look. It will also protect your floors from needles if you're decorating a real tree or pine.