No bulbs should come in contact with needles or branches. Turn off all holiday lights when you retire or leave home. Outdoor lights should be weatherproof and clearly identified as designed for outdoor use. Remove outdoor lighting as soon as the season is over. Even outside lights are not designed to withstand prolonged exposure to winter weather.
Fireplaces are very popular during the holidays.
Before starting a fire, make sure you remove all decorations from the area and be sure that the flu is open. Do not burn wrappings or evergreen boughs. These can burn extremely fast, throwing off sparks and burning debris. Safely dispose of wrapping paper with your normal trash collection. Residential fires during the holiday season are especially tragic.