Holiday Safety Tips for Entertaining: 20 Things to Check Before Guests Arrive
Holiday parties come with a lot of new things all at once: extra people, candles, lights, a tree in the living room, a kitchen running full tilt, coats piled on the bed, kids underfoot, a dog who's never seen this many shoes. Extension cords. Hot drinks.
None of that means you need to panic or wrap the house in bubble wrap. It means taking 20 minutes before the party to spot the obvious hazards and fix them. Here's what to check.
1. Walk Through Your House Like a Guest
Start at the curb, and walk the path your guests will take: up the walk, through the front door, to the living room, the bathroom, the kitchen and the guest room.
Look for clutter in the walkways, loose rugs, cords across the floor, dark spots, and furniture that's been moved into a traffic path to make room for the tree. If you trip, they will too.
2. Clear the Entryway
Make room for coats, bags and the gifts people bring. Put a sturdy mat outside and an absorbent one inside, and wipe up tracked-in water and snow right away. A wet tile entry is a slip waiting to happen.
If there's a dog who greets everyone at the door, give him somewhere else to be for the first 20 minutes. He'll understand.
3. Check Outdoor Walkways
Most holiday guests arrive after dark.
• Turn on the porch light, and make sure the path to the door is lit.
• Sweep up leaves, which get slick when they're wet.
• Shovel snow, and treat icy spots with ice melt or sand.
• Put away hoses, toys and delivery boxes.
• Check that steps are solid and handrails are tight.
Festive skating belongs elsewhere.
4. Test Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms
Press the test button on every smoke alarm and every carbon monoxide alarm. If it doesn't sound, replace the battery today. The National Fire Protection Association recommends testing them once a month, and the holidays, with more cooking, candles and guests, are the month not to skip.
Make sure there's a working smoke alarm outside every sleeping area, including the guest room. If you have overnight guests, show them how to get out of the house in an emergency. It's less dramatic than it sounds, and it takes 30 seconds.
5. Keep Exits Clear
Don't let decorations, gifts, extra chairs or the coat pile block a door or a hallway. Every exterior door needs to open fully, and the path to it needs to be clear.
6. Be Careful With Candles
December is the peak month for home candle fires, according to the NFPA.
• Keep candles at least 12 inches from anything that can burn: greenery, garlands, curtains, wrapping paper, napkins, centerpieces.
• Set them where they can't get knocked over by kids, pets or a coat sleeve.
• Put them on a sturdy, heat-resistant holder.
• Blow them out when you leave the room or go to bed.
Flameless LED candles look almost as good and can go anywhere. Nothing says "perhaps we should have used the battery candle" quite like somebody's sweater passing six inches above a flame.
7. Check Your Holiday Lights
Before you hang them, plug each strand in and look at it. Throw out any set with frayed or cracked wires, broken sockets or loose connections.
• Use lights marked with a UL or ETL label, and use outdoor-rated lights outside.
• Follow the package for how many strands you can connect end to end. It's usually printed on the tag.
• Turn lights off when you go to bed or leave the house. A timer makes it automatic.
One strand is decoration. Twelve strands plugged into one outlet? At some point, they equal an electrical problem wearing tinsel.
8. Be Careful With Extension Cords
Be Careful With Extension Cords
• Use cords rated for what you're plugging into them, and outdoor-rated cords outside.
• Don't run cords under rugs, where they overheat and you can't see damage.
• Don't run them across walkways, where people trip. Tape them along the wall or behind furniture.
• Don't plug one extension cord into another.
• Space heaters and other high-wattage appliances go straight into the wall, not into an extension cord.
9. Keep the Christmas Tree Watered
A dry Christmas tree catches fire and burns frighteningly fast.
• Fresh tree: Cut about an inch off the trunk before you put it in the stand, and check the water every day. Fresh trees can drink a gallon or more a day the first week.
• Keep it at least 3 feet from fireplaces, radiators, heat vents, space heaters and candles.
• Artificial tree: Look for a "fire resistant" label when you buy one.
• Take it down once it's dropping needles.
And never put lit candles on a tree. There are traditions worth preserving. That isn't one of them. More tips at my Christmas tree care guide.
10. Keep the Kitchen From Becoming a Crowd Scene
The kitchen is the most dangerous room at a holiday party: hot ovens, boiling pots, sharp knives, and everyone wanting to stand right in front of the stove. Set the appetizers and drinks up in another room so guests gather there instead. Keep kids and pets out of the cooking area entirely. A baby gate across the doorway works for both.
11. Turn Pot Handles Inward
Turn every pot and pan handle toward the back of the stove, so nobody can bump into it or grab it. Keep hot dishes and drinks back from the edge of the counter, out of reach of little hands.
Before you carry the turkey to the table, clear the path between the kitchen and the dining room. No dogs, no toys, no kids lying on the floor. The turkey has been through enough.
12. Don't Leave Cooking Unattended
Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home cooking fires, according to the NFPA, and Thanksgiving is the peak day of the year for them. Stay in the kitchen whenever anything is frying, grilling, broiling or boiling. If you have to leave, even for a minute to answer the door, turn off the burner.
The doorbell, the phone and the guest who wants to tell you about their trip to Portugal will all try to pull you away. The food doesn't know it's Christmas. It can still burn.
13. Be Careful With Turkey Fryers
Turkey fryers cause fires and serious burns every year. If you're going to fry:
• Outdoors only, on a flat surface, at least 10 feet from the house. Never in a garage, on a wooden deck or under an overhang.
• Thaw the turkey completely, and pat it dry. Water and hot oil make a dangerous boil-over.
• Don't overfill the pot. Do a test run with water and the turkey first to find the right oil level.
• Lower the turkey in slowly with the burner off.
• Never leave it alone, and keep kids and pets well away.
• Keep a fire extinguisher nearby. Never use water on an oil fire.
Or skip the drama: use an oil-free infrared fryer, roast a spatchcocked turkey at high heat (it cooks in about 90 minutes), or order a fried turkey from a restaurant.
14. Keep Food Safety in the Plan
• Cook turkey to 165°F, measured with a meat thermometer.
• Keep hot food at 140°F or above, and cold food at 40°F or below.
• Refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours of serving, or within 1 hour if it's above 90°F.
• Store leftovers in shallow containers so they cool quickly.
• Use refrigerated leftovers within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them.
That includes the festive dishes on display. A beautiful cheese board that's been out for five hours is still a five-hour-old cheese board. More: Easy Food Safety Tips.
15. Ask About Food Allergies
When you invite people, ask about allergies and dietary restrictions. Keep ingredient lists or packages for anything you serve, label homemade dishes with their main ingredients, and give allergy-safe food its own plate and serving spoon to avoid cross-contact.
16. Childproof the Party Zone
If kids are coming, get down to toddler height and look around. Move or put away:
• Small objects and decorations that fit through a toilet-paper tube, which makes them a choking hazard for kids under 3
• Glass ornaments on the lower branches
• Candles, matches and lighters
• Alcohol, including unfinished drinks left on low tables
• Medications, including the ones in guests' purses and coats. Put coats and bags in a room with the door closed.
• Cleaning products
• Hot drinks near table edges
• Cords
• Button batteries in remotes, toys and greeting cards. Swallowed button batteries can cause serious internal burns. Go to the ER right away if you think a child swallowed one.
Add a baby gate at the top of the stairs if toddlers are coming. And throw away toy packaging, twist ties and plastic bags as soon as gifts are opened.
If you think a child swallowed something harmful, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
17. Give Pets a Safe Retreat
Noise, strangers and an open front door are stressful for pets, and a stressed dog or cat can bolt or snap. Set up a quiet room with water, a bed and a toy, and close the door. Make sure they're wearing ID tags.
Keep holiday food out of reach, and tell guests not to share. Chocolate, xylitol (in sugar-free candy and gum), grapes, raisins, onions and cooked bones are all dangerous. Keep tinsel and ribbon away from cats. If your pet eats something it shouldn't, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435.
18. Prepare For Older Guests
Falls are the leading cause of injury for adults 65 and older, according to the CDC, and most happen at home.
• Light the walkways, steps and the path to the bathroom.
• Tape down or roll up loose rugs.
• Clear the stairs, and make sure the handrails are solid.
• Put a non-slip mat in the tub.
• Offer chairs with arms. They're much easier to get in and out of than a low sofa.
• If they're staying overnight, plug in night-lights from the guest room to the bathroom.
More help: Holiday Grandparents Visit Survival Guide.
19. Don't Burn Wrapping Paper
Wrapping paper, especially the shiny, glittery or foil kind, can flare up fast in a fireplace and send burning pieces up the chimney. It can also start a chimney fire. Recycle the plain paper, and throw away the rest.
The fireplace is not an approved holiday paper recycling program.
20. Do a Five-Minute Safety Reset During the Party
Halfway through the evening, take a quick lap and check for:
• Spills on the floor
• New clutter in the walkways
• Candles burning in empty rooms
• Overflowing trash
• Hot drinks near kids
• Food that's been out for two hours
• An unlocked or open front door, or the pool gate
• A pet who escaped from the quiet room
• Coats, bags and packages piling up at the exits
The entryway that was clear at 5 p.m. may contain seven handbags, three coats, wrapping paper and a plastic dinosaur by 7.
If Guests Are Drinking
• Serve plenty of food and set out non-alcoholic drinks that look as festive as the cocktails, like sparkling cider or cranberry spritzers.
• Stop serving alcohol about an hour before the party ends, and switch to coffee and dessert.
• Make sure every driver has a sober ride. Offer to call a rideshare, or offer the couch.
• Clear unfinished drinks off low tables, where kids and pets can reach them.
The 10-Minute Pre-Party Safety Check
• Minutes 1–2, the entrance: Porch light on, walkway clear, mat out
• Minutes 3–4, the living area: Cords tucked away, candles placed safely, tree watered
• Minutes 5–6, the kitchen: Pot handles turned in, towels away from burners, fire extinguisher handy
• Minutes 7–8, the bathroom: Dry floor, non-slip mat, night-light
• Minutes 9–10, the whole house: Exits clear, smoke alarms tested, pets settled
Done. Don't start reorganizing the medicine cabinet now. We had a mission.
If Children Are Coming
• Move small objects and glass ornaments up high
• Lock up or move medications, cleaning products and alcohol
• Put guests' coats and bags in a closed room
• Use flameless candles
• Gate the stairs
• Keep the kitchen off-limits
• Pick up button batteries and small toy parts
More ideas: Holiday Entertaining With Kids.
If Guests Are Staying Overnight
Show them:
• How to lock and unlock the doors
• Where the bathroom and the light switches are
• How to get out of the house in an emergency
• Where the stairs are, if they're new to the house
Put a night-light in the guest room, the hallway and the bathroom, and make sure there's a working smoke alarm outside the guest room. More: How to Help Overnight Guests Feel at Home.
Fireplace Safety
- Have the chimney inspected once a yer, before the first fire.
- Keep stockings, garlands and decorations away from the opening when there's a fire.
- Always use a sturdy fireplace screen.
- Keep kids and pets at least 3 feet back.
- Never leave a fire burning when you go to bed or leave the house.
- Put cooled ashes in a metal can with a lid, and keep it outside, at least 10 feet from the house. Ashes can stay hot for days.
Holiday Safety Checklist
Outside and Entry
• Porch and walkway lit
• Leaves, snow and ice cleared
• Steps and railings checked
• Mats out, wet floors wiped
Fire and Electrical
• Smoke and CO alarms tested
• Candles 12 inches from anything that can burn
• Light strands checked
• Extension cords out of walkways and not under rugs
• Tree watered and 3 feet from heat
• Fire extinguisher in the kitchen
Kitchen
• Pot handles turned in
• Cooking never left unattended
• Turkey cooked to 165°F
• Food refrigerated within 2 hours
Children and Pets
• Small objects, medications and alcohol out of reach
• Guests' bags in a closed room
• Pets in a quiet room with ID tags
• Holiday food out of pets' reach
Overnight Guests
• Night-lights to the bathroom
• Smoke alarm outside the guest room
• Shown the exits and the locks
Holiday Safety FAQ
How often should I water a Christmas tree?
Check it every day. A fresh tree can drink a gallon or more a day the first week. Don't let the water drop below the base of the trunk, or the cut seals over and the tree stops drinking.
How far should candles be from decorations?
At least 12 inches from anything that can burn, including greenery, garlands, curtains and wrapping paper, according to the NFPA. Blow them out when you leave the room.
Is it safe to fry a turkey?
Only outdoors, at least 10 feet from the house, with a fully thawed and dried turkey, the right amount of oil and a fire extinguisher nearby. Never leave it unattended. An oil-free infrared fryer is a safer option.
How long can food sit out at a holiday party?
Two hours at room temperature, or one hour if it's above 90°F. Then refrigerate it or throw it out.
What You Don't Need to Do
You don't need to ban candles, skip the lights or childproof the house like a daycare center. The goal isn't zero risk. It's catching the obvious stuff before it causes a problem.
That candle too close to the garland? Move the decoration. The village will survive.
The Bottom Line
A safe holiday party takes about 20 minutes of prep: test the alarms, water the tree, check the lights, place the candles, clear the walkways, keep the kitchen calm, and give kids and pets a safe space. Then do one quick check mid-party.
After that, relax. You've done your job, and nobody's sweater is on fire.
Keep the House Guest-Ready All Season
The Daily Home Reset gives you a 15-minute daily routine, so getting ready for a party is a quick pickup and a safety check, not a weekend of cleaning.
And if the hall closet is so full there's nowhere to put the coats, Room by Room gives you a no-guilt plan to declutter every space, one room at a time.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Keep Going
The house is safe and ready for company. Make the rest of the holidays easier with these related guides:
• Safe at Home: My complete guide to keeping your family safe all year.
• Holiday Kitchen Survival Guide: Cook, host and keep your sanity, with safe temperatures and grease-fire basics.
• Holiday Entertaining With Kids: 20 ways to keep everyone happy (and safe) at the party.
• Holiday Grandparents Visit Survival Guide: Get the house ready for older guests.
• Easy Food Safety Tips: Keep holiday food safe from the oven to the leftovers.
• How to Help Overnight Guests Feel at Home: Everything houseguests need.
• Cozy Guest Bedroom Ideas: Make the guest room comfortable and safe.
• Easy Guest Bathroom Ideas: Everything guests need, nothing they don't.
- Clean Home
- Safe at Home
- Holiday Safety Tips For Entertaining
