Safety at Christmas

CEBU, Philippines – As time ticks closer and closer to Christmas day, everybody is now in full celebratory mood. But amidst the frenzied celebrations, it becomes so easy to forget certain very important things. Safety is often the first to slip the mind.

As blasting firecrackers is a significant Christmas tradition, the risk of fire heightens. And the Christmas feast often goes with too much drinking, which in turn often results to heated arguments – if not full-blown violence. The Christmas feast itself brings about real risks, as the consumption of rich food during the celebrations has ugly repercussions on people’s health.

At home, with young children around, parents have to take extra precautions to be sure the kids stay safe as they enjoy the family Christmas festivities. There are other risks to watch out for inside the house. From the Christmas tree to the toys under it, there can be hidden hazards all around.

As to risks arising from the abundance of food during the festivities, it has been noted that the risks of stroke, heart attack and hypertension doubles or triples in the holiday season. Experts attribute the rise to the prevalence of fatty and fried foods in the Christmas feasts – and the great availability of alcoholic drinks.

Health authorities advice that people who have diagnosed health complaints should not splurge and instead should consistently observe self-restraint. It is better to have a regular health check in the course of the season. Even those who are physically okay should be watchful, especially in the area of alcohol consumption.

Alcohol is known to cause hot-headedness in some people. It also muddles one’s physical coordination and, thus, increases the possibility of one getting into accidents.