Fire departments responded to more than  800 home fires each year that begin with decorations, excluding Christmas trees. The National Fire Protection Association reports Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires. That is followed by Christmas Day and Christmas Eve. Year round, 33-percent of home decoration fires were started by candles. This jumps to half in December when candles start half of such fires. Cook starts about 20-percent of decoration fires.

Keep the following safety tip in mind as you celebrate the season.

• Choose decorations that are flame resistant or flame retardant.
• Keep lit candles away from decorations and other things that can burn.
• Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both.
• Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections. Read
  manufacturer’s instructions for number of light
  strands to connect.
• Use clips, not nails, to hang lights so the cords do not get damaged.
• Keep decorations away from windows and doors.

It is important blow out lit candles when you leave the room or go to bed. Turn off all light strings and decorations before leaving home or going to bed.