Most holiday decorations, toys, ornaments, and plants aren’t going to hurt you, but some can pose health risks if they aren’t handled appropriately.
Practicing good hygiene habits, like hand washing (not only for germs) but also to prevent the potential transfer of unwanted chemicals after handling items.
This can help further limit risks — especially for young children who may put their hands in their mouth.
Experts say the hype around potentially toxic holiday items, such as ornaments, is generally overblown and the actual risk is very low.
If you’re like many other people at this time of the year, you’re probably approaching the busy holiday season with a mixture of excitement and trepidation.
Celebrating with family and friends is a great way to pass the cold winter months, but it’s coupled with the pressure of travel, shopping, and plenty of other inconveniences.
And for some families, especially those with young children, the holidays can also raise worries about potential health risks as well.
It’s not uncommon to see reports this time of year about dangerous toys, toxic chemicals in Christmas decorations, and even poisonous holiday plants being a cause for concern.
The good news is that a lot of the hype around these potentially dangerous items is generally overblown. That said, you should be informed about some holiday hazards, especially if you’ve got kids or pets in the house.
That’s why we’ve separated fact from fiction about four categories of holiday products and the real health risks they may pose.
1.) Christmas decorations and lights
Yes, all those beautiful tree ornaments, the decorations, and even that snarl of lights you drag out of storage once a year have the potential to contain toxic substances.
The most common reason: They can contain lead.
Major news outlets have speculated on the potential for lead exposure from holiday decorations, but it’s not clear what, if any, real threat these items actually pose to individuals.
It can also be difficult to know for sure whether or not your ornaments and decorations contain lead.
A study from 2014 found that 13 percent of seasonal holiday products sold at major retailers contained lead levels that exceeded a threshold deemed safe for children’s toys. Although the products are not regulated as children’s toys, they may be handled by children during the holidays.
While newer decorations manufactured in the United States may not contain lead, if you’ve been hanging onto a box of old Christmas stuff since as far back as you can remember, or if you’re buying cheap holiday ornaments online, there is the potential that they could contain lead.
Experts warn, however, that parents should be cautious with children around holiday ornaments and decorations. He notes that while lead exposure is unlikely through skin contact, it very easily can enter the body through the mouth.
2.) Toys
The holidays and toys go together like marshmallows and hot cocoa. But, like holiday decorations and ornaments, depending on the quality and the manufacturing of the toy, there is also a potential for lead or other heavy metal contamination most frequently through paint.
Every year, a group of consumer advocacy driven organizations, releases their report on toy safety, where readers can find the most dangerous toys on the market.
Additionally, with the rise in popularity of more electronic gifts, batteries are an increasingly common hazard, particularly for young children.
A medical director warned that “button” batteries, which are small and easy to swallow can be very dangerous.
3.) Holiday plants
Poinsettia, holly, mistletoe: Nothing says Christmas quite like them. However, they also have a reputation for being poisonous, though they aren’t as dangerous as some would have you believe.
A 2012 review of most common decorative holiday plants found that most ingestions, even in children, are asymptomatic That is, you probably don’t need to worry about your child poisoning themself from a poinsettia. Nonetheless, exposures do happen quite commonly.
4.) Wrapping paper
Wrapping paper is beautiful. That’s why we use it to wrap gifts. But the components that make it beautiful — inks, dyes, and other chemicals — also mean it has the potential to contain toxic substances.
But, like the aforementioned toys and decorations in this list, how and where the paper is manufactured will have a strong bearing on whether it actually contains toxic components.
Handling the paper and wrapping gifts with it isn’t going to make you sick, but as a rule of thumb, don’t let children put it in their mouths.
And don’t burn it.
The Bottomline
Most holiday decorations, toys, ornaments, and plants aren’t going to hurt you, but it’s a no-brainer to make sure they’re all handled appropriately, especially if there are kids around.
Insist on good hygiene habits like hand washing (not only for germs) but also to prevent the potential transfer of unwanted chemicals when you bring down that dusty box of decorations out of the attic.
Kids are kids… Make sure your kids are safe and make sure you know what they are eating and what they are putting in their mouths, and make sure that’s not poisonous.
-healthline.com