Evening star., 1935-12-14
A Little Extra Caution
Lessons Possibility of
Accidents In Household
Holiday Decorations Tree Itself-De
fective Toys-Neglected Furnace-AH
Hold Potential Danger.

nail or tack around a window. The
glass may shatter easily and you will
spend the joyous season with q hand
wrapped in bandages.
WHEN you climb that Stepladder to
fix the mistletoe to the chande-
lier or ceiling light, be sure that your
means of ascent is firmly planted, with
all braces in position. It is well to
have a member of the family around
to give you a steadying hand should
you need it as you go higher and
higher. Have the nistletoe already
tied with its red and silver ribbon,
with a bit of picture wire strung
through the stems to fasten the bunch
to the fixture. Go up and down the
ladder slowly and carefully-a miSstep
is all too easy and apt to prove most
serious.
When the time comes to decorate
the Christmas tree, either go over the
wiring of the little lights yourself or
entrust the task to competent elec-
trician, to make sure that there are no
shorts" or other defects to cause
possible fire or shock. Don't put heavy
ornaments at the top Of the tree un-
less they are wired in securely to the
trunk. They might fall and hurt a
baby head very badly.
Watch carefully for bits Of glass
from broken ornaments. Even the spun
glass of the gayly-colored birds tail
may cause infection if a tiny broken
piece of it pierces the skin. Don't
leave scraps Of tinsel or the tiny wires
used for hanging ornaments on the
tree lying about if there is a crawling
baby in the household. Such things
find their way all too easily into
childish mouths.
Gifts of electric trains, stoves and
~ so on should be tested before
they are presented to the child, to be
absolutely sure that nothing is wrong
with them. The uses of the various
tools in sonny's tool chest should
be painstakingly illustrated and ex-
planned to him, in an effort
to protect him from mashed fin
gers and cuts. If children are care
fully instructed and told in detail the
workings of their new toys, far less
physical damage is apt to occur. Most
hurts of this kind come from allowing
the child to blunder into some new
game or gadget without proper prep
aration.
Another point to be considered is the
furnace. Because the family rises at
cockcrow on Christmas morning, as
rule, the cheat is turned on" literally
to higher degree than usual. In the
excitement of unwrapping parcels and
examining the gifts, the friend in the
basement is all too apt TO be forgotten,
and is permitted to get hotter and
hotter without being checked. Fire
may result if this situation continues
for too long period.
Insist on warm wrappers and bed
slippers for all members of the house
hold before the tree is viewed or pres
ents opened. A good plan, which I
have found works we'll in my own fam
lily, is to allow the stockings to be gone
through in bed. early, and then the
tree and other gifts may be seen just
before breakfast. A cup Of hot milk
and a cracker or two rationed out be-
fore this latter excitement is a pretty
fair insurance against the troubles
subsequent to too much nervous ten
sion on an empty tummy.
And as one last warning-be sure
that the tree itself is fastened by
strong cords at the back to some point
in the wall. This will prevent the pos
sibility of its toppling over if some
enthusiastic youngster gives it a tug,
and save a good deal of wear and tear
on the nervous system Of mamma and
papa!
If you wish advice on your individ-
ual household problems write to Betsy
CaswelI, in care of The Star, inclosing
a stamped, self addressed envelope for
ranIv.