On the First day of Christmas my true love sent to me…The Danger of Over consumption of Alcohol the Christmas Period. Drinking heavily reduces your body’s natural immune system. A weakened immune system has a harder time protecting you from germs and viruses. Which we especially need during the cold winter months. Recovery position! Remember to put someone who has had a few too many to drink in the recovery position to avoid choking on vomit.
On the second day of Christmas, my true love sent to me… Toy Part Dangers. Christmas is the time most of us give gifts . Especially to children, please make sure the toy is suitable for the age of the child. Small children/babies tend to like to put their toys in their mouths. This can be a choking hazard.
On the third day of Christmas, my true love sent to me…Electrical and fire safety at Christmas. Check your fairy lights and any other electrically powered Christmas decorations over before putting them up. If cables are frayed or fittings damaged in any way, dispose of them. Switch all lights and electrical decorations off at night and when you go out Don’t overload electrical sockets. At this time of year it can be tempting to plug extension cables into each other, but this can lead to overheating and electrical fires. Keep Christmas cards and decorations away from lights, heaters and fires
On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me..Food safety at Christmas. All too easy to do with a poorly defrosted or undercooked turkey. Check defrosting and cooking times well ahead of the day to help with planning timings. Please remember when the oven is full the food inside may take even longer to cook perfectly. Don’t leave food out on buffets for hours on end cover and refrigerate anything which could spoil, ideally within an hour of bringing it out of the fridge
On the fifth day of Christmas… Poison plants, Holly and mistletoe are poisonous plants, with the berries posing the most danger. Keep them out of reach of children and pets. A dose of 20 holly berries could be fatal for a child
On the sixth day of Christmas, cold winters nights, winters are colder than ever. Nights out, Christmas work parties , and dinners out become very popular around the Christmas period. As I said, the nights are cold, even below 0 degrees. However, we have had our outfits planned for weeks and don’t want to ruin it with a warm coat. Plus if this night involves alcohol, Alcohol widens your blood vessels, making more blood flow to your skin. That makes you blush and feel warm and toasty. But not for long. The heat from that extra blood passes right out of your body, causing your temperature to drop.
On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me winter walks, Rock salt, often used to grit roads, as well as antifreeze, used on cars, are both toxic to pets. So if you can, it’s best to walk your dog on side streets, or on an open green, which haven’t been gritted. it’s always wise to clean their paws as soon as they arrive home.
On the eighth day of Christmas, Saint Nicholas brings nuts and oranges and other small treats on his feast day. Allergies around Christmas. Nuts are everywhere at Christmas from nut selection boxes, nuts in chocolate, snack tables and more. Beware if someone you will be around has an allergy to nuts, what type and how extreme that allergy is. AND MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THEIR ADRENALINE INJECTOR ON THEM!
On the ninth day of Christmas…Snow shovelling, It’s important to keep walkways clear of snow and ice to prevent injury from slips and falls. But, it’s just as important to make sure you’re shovelling correctly so as not to hurt yourself. Avoid pulling your back by bending at the knees, keeping your back straight, tightening your stomach muscles, and lifting with your legs.
On the tenth day of Christmas… High Strung Lights, Every year, more than 500,000 people are injured as a result of falling off of ladders. If you’re hanging holiday lights this year, don’t do it alone; a pair of helping hands goes a long way to ensuring your safety. Make sure your ladder is level, don’t overreach, and don’t ascend the ladder with your hands full. Also, as marked on many models, do not step on the two uppermost treads. Close ladders when they’re not in use to avoid having kids venture upward without supervision.
On the eleventh day of Christmas…Fireplace dangers, Tossing wrapping paper into the fireplace may seem harmless enough, but doing so poses a flash fire risk. Split hardwood is the best thing to burn, and make sure your chimney is swept and the fireplace is maintained before you light it up. Never light candles responsible for tens of thousands of fires every year near your holiday tree or where pets and kids may be playing; an open flame near a dry tree (indicated by the shedding of excessive needles) is a major holiday fire hazard.
On the twelfth day of Christmas…depression, loneliness, anxiety, and stress, Things which are ostensibly fun can become overwhelming and even isolating for many people. If you are lonely, you might feel this even more at a time when everyone seems to be surrounded by loved ones. If you are depressed, you might feel even worse about not feeling your best during such a ‘happy’ season. The expense of gifts and food, the pressure of shopping and the expectations of the season can make Christmas an extremely stressful time. The cold dark mornings/nights may make someone’s mental health deteriorate and low vitamin D. If you can’t cope with the overwhelming emotions surrounding your bereavement, reach out for support. Confide in a loved one or close friend, or consider reaching out to dedicated support networks such as Samaritans. Support organisations such as Cruse Bereavement Care could also help you.
Remember… Be kind to yourself, While it may help to be around others, it’s important not to overwhelm yourself with situations where you may feel obliged to be cheerful. Try not to isolate yourself for the whole time but know that it’s ok to put yourself first. Don’t feel like you have to do all that is traditionally expected of you.
Tips for a healthy happy Christmas:
. Everything in moderation
. Avoid social comparison
. Do things for yourself too and take time for yourself
. Participate in your local community
. try to focus on the future rather than the past year
