Tips for Staying Safe This Christmas

The season to be jolly is upon us! Whilst for the majority, the holiday will be a fantastic time for catching up with friends and family, the NHS predict around 6,000 of us may end up in hospital Don’t let that be you or your loved ones!

The seasonal culprits include:

• Traffic accidents
• Cold weather & flu
• Food poisoning
• Accidents around the home
• Burglary
• Alcohol-related accidents

So, how can you avoid these problems this Christmas?

Traffic Accidents

There are more people on the roads over the festive period caused by shopping and those journeying to see relatives. Add an increase of potential drink drivers, icy conditions and cars not kitted out with winter tyres – it’s a recipe for disaster.

• Be extra careful – you can’t see black ice
• Leave extra room between you and driver in front
• Other sensible drivers are likely to drive slower so don’t get impatient, it could save your life
• Book your car in before it gets very frosty and get your tyres checked

By law, you are responsible for your car and will be made liable if you have a traffic accident due to car issues.

Cold weather & flu

According to research, cold weather related hospitals admissions is expected at around 40,000 people this winter. This is the highest number for 15 years. Here are some ideas to be extra vigilant.

• Maintain an indoor temperature of at least 18°C
• Don’t leave windows open when you go to bed – this lowers the risk of heart attack and stroke in cold weather
• Ensure your flu and pneumonia jabs are up to date
• Check your central heating – you’ll regret it if it breaks down on Christmas Eve
• Make sure you have plenty of warm clothes and blankets in case of a power cut or broken boiler
• If you have an elderly relative or know of an elderly person, do check on them

Food poisoning

Food poisoning over Christmas is a hazard because many people fail to cook the Christmas turkey properly. But with a little know-how, the turkey should go down perfectly.

• Defrost Your Turkey Properly. As a guide, allow 10-12 hours per kilogram to defrost in the fridge.
• FSA (Food Standards Agency) research shows that 69% leave their turkey in an unsafe place when defrosting (the garage, the garden shed or the bath) – don’t be one of them!
• Keep raw meat at the bottom of your fridge – it should be below 5°C.
• Keep it covered with the original packaging or in a container so no juices contaminate other food.
• Cook Your Turkey Thoroughly

Despite popular belief, you don’t need to wash your defrosted turkey! The water doesn’t get rid of bacteria and actually just ends up on your kitchen surfaces.

• Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF, Gas Mark 4)
• To cook your bird (unstuffed):
  • Under 4.5kg – allow 45 minutes per kg plus 20 minutes
  • Between 4.5 and 6.5 kg – allow 40 minutes per kg
  • Over 6.5 kg – allow 35 minutes per kg
• Check the stuffing! If you’ve stuffed your turkey, the stuffing must also be at the same temperature as the turkey. The weight of the stuffing taken into account when cooking.

Check your turkey is cooked with a food thermometer, inserting the thermometer into the thickest part of the bird. If the temperature is at 74°C the turkey is ready to rest before carving. Alternatively, there should be no pink meat and the juices should be clear.

People say they eat turkey sandwiches all throughout January – is that really such a good idea? Make sure you do the following:

• Place leftovers in the fridge asap
• Remove the meat from the bone
• Store for two days maximum

Deal with left over in style – check out these 5 Awesome Christmas Dinner Leftover Recipe Ideas.

Accidents around the Home & Fire

According to statistics, up to 50% more people are likely to be affected by house fires during the Christmas period than any other time of year. Reasons include:

• Christmas trees – this disturbing video shows just how quickly a Scotch Pine destroys a room
• Candles – keep them away from anything that might catch alight
• Smoking – everyone likes to snooze after Christmas dinner, unfortunately some with cigs in hand
• Drinking – people are way more accident prone around the house

Bizarrely, the home is believed to be one of the most dangerous places to be as more accidents happen at home than anywhere else. Add Christmas fun into the equation and this festive time can turn nasty, quickly. The bottom line is just to be careful.

Burglary

Worryingly, 59% of burglaries in England and Wales occur when people are supposedly safe and sound at home. Christmas time is when we give and receive wonderful gifts so homes are even more vulnerable as they are full of presents, most left under a Christmas tree. It’s a burglar’s paradise. The most obvious solution is of course to get a burglar alarm. Failing that here are some top tips:

• Don’t whack the Christmas tree and presents right by the front window!
• Don’t leave your gifts under the tree – at all
• Turn your Christmas lights off when you go to bed (they pose a fire risk) but keep your house well-lit
• Put security warning stickers on your windows – much cheaper than buying the whole kit!
• Make sure your front door is double locked

Alcohol-Related Accidents

Did you know there’s a 41% increase in alcohol-related injuries in December?  As it is the season to be merry, drinking is par for the course but be drink aware and try not to overdo it. Alcohol is very often involved in all of the above mishaps.

This piece isn’t meant to sweep a black cloud over the festivities! You can still have plenty of fun even though the above hazards and dangers might sound daunting, if you do take these precautions you really will have a safe, Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year!