June 04, 2010 01:50am EST 

A trip to the hospital during holiday festivities is a sure-fire way to ruin the end of a year.
The holiday season brings happiness and joy to all with its decorations, twinkling lights, Christmas trees, and carols. Unfortunately, these happy times also bring increased risk for the health of the public. The holiday season can bring health concerns ranging from hospital emergency room visits for ingested ornaments to hospital admissions for drunk-driving accidents.
The many activities and errands that come with the holiday season may cause many people to pay less attention to safety and end up in a hospital emergency room. Hospitals and their emergency physicians urge people to take a bit of time and care during the holiday season, and to never drink and drive, no matter what the color the leaves are.
More than 12,000 people are treated at a hospital emergency room each year due to falls, cuts, shocks, and burns from holiday decorations — either from faulty equipment or accidents, according to government statistics. Furthermore, the holiday season brings more parties, where people are more likely to consume alcohol. Remember these tips the next time you are aching to leave your Aunt Leslie’s house in Stamford after an eggnog:
1. Stay safe while traveling
Traveling during the holiday season can be hectic in its own right, with parents and frantic teenagers racing to and from malls, all hoping to do last-minute Christmas shopping. Remember to always wear seatbelts at all times, to place your children under 12 years of age in the back seat and secure all young children in appropriate safety restraints for their ages and sizes. NEVER drink alcohol and drive, especially during the holiday season. Nobody wants to visit the hospital emergency room, let alone force someone else to do so.
2. Stay safe outdoors
As excitement for opening gifts grow, temperatures drop. Always clear snow and leaves from pathways and sprinkle salt on patches of ice to avoid accidents. Check your child’s shoes, socks, and gloves to make sure they are dry when they play outdoors in the snow. Frostbite and hypothermia are no joke — and can lead to a hospital trip.
3. Keep decorations safe
Ensure that your holiday lights are not broken and that the wires are not damaged. Always turn off lights before leaving your house and avoid using sharp decorations and ornaments. Keep Christmas trees away from fireplaces or other areas where high heat is present. Choose the right ladder for any decorating job and never do it alone.
4. Keep fire in the fireplace
Keep burning candles and lighters away from children, and keep fire hazards away from your holiday log. Remember to get a yearly inspection for chimneys and fireplaces.
All of these tips are aimed at keeping you and your family way from the hospital emergency room during the holidays. Spend your time spreading holiday cheer and creating gingerbread houses — not waiting in line in the hospital emergency room to get a glass ornament out of your son’s stomach!