UL
Holiday Safety Tips from UL
Health & Beauty

UL Provides Pointers on Keeping Families, Homes Safe During the Holidays

David Moore

In the spirit of helping families stay safe during the holidays, UL, a global safety science group, is sharing tips about tree safety, decorating safety and home entertaining safety during the holiday season, including ways that consumers can safeguard their homes and loved ones.

For many American families, the holidays begin when they set up the Christmas tree. But, for some, this holiday tradition comes with often overlooked safety hazards. To mitigate the fire risk of Christmas trees, UL advises:

-Run your fingers through the needles to make sure they are fresh when buying a tree. Trees that have dry needles burn faster.

-Before you bring your tree home, cut a few inches off the bottom. This helps the tree absorb more water.

-Keep the tree base filled with water at all times, as it reduces the risk of fire. Check daily to ensure there is enough water in the base.

"It's a good idea to keep Christmas trees a safe distance from fireplaces, radiators and other sources of heat as they tend to dry out the tree much more quickly," said John Drengenberg, director of consumer safety at UL. "And while we all love the holidays, it is important to know your tree's expiration date. Fresh cut trees tend to dry out after about four weeks and should be taken down."

If you plan to purchase a pre-lit artificial Christmas tree, be sure to look for trees that bear the UL Mark as this indicates they meet fire safety standards. Beyond the tree, UL warns that holiday decorating carries fire risks and other safety concerns as well - from festive candles and stockings by the fireplace, to strings of lights and outdoor decor. Exercise care when decorating for the holidays by:

-Carefully inspecting last year's decorations when taking them out of storage. Wear-and-tear like cracked sockets, frayed wires and loose connections may pose a fire or shock hazard.

-Making sure lights and decor are appropriate for indoor and outdoor use. To do this, look for the UL Mark on the label of thousands of holiday decorative items. The red UL Mark indicates the item is safer for use both indoors and outdoors, while the green UL Mark means the item is for use only indoors.

-Keeping holiday candles away from items that easily catch fire. Candles can also affect the air we breathe, so use unscented candles with lead-free wicks, or alternatively, use LED candles which keep air pollutants out of your home and reduce the risk of fire.

"Don't try and fix frayed wires or cracked ornaments - throw them out instead," advises Drengenberg. "Replace those outdated, incandescent light strings with UL-certified, energy-efficient LED lights which use 75 percent less energy and last years longer."

Safe holiday home entertaining tips include:

-Never leave ovens or stoves unattended for long periods of time while preparing your big holiday meal.

-If need to walk away from the kitchen, take an oven mitt - this is a good reminder that something is cooking or baking.

-Prepare for holiday guests by cleaning your home with healthier cleaners. Many household cleaners emit toxic chemicals that can trigger health problems like asthma and allergies.

"Holiday celebrations bring more guests into the home, which means more cooking and cleaning," continued Drengenberg. "When cooking, it's a good idea to turn the handles of pots inward - people are often injured by hot food because of coming in to contact with handles hanging over the edge of the stove. When cleaning, look for GREENGUARD-certified products, which indicate the cleaners have undergone rigorous scientific testing to determine their effects on indoor air."

More information about keeping your home safe this holiday season and all year round:

www.ul.com.

((Comments on this story may be sent to newsdesk@closeupmedia.com))

THE DAILY VIEW

  • Alexandra Scarborough
    Gilt and Sarah Jessica Parker Unveil SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker Bridal Collection for Spring

    Sarah Jessica Parker, in partnership with Gilt, kicked off the exclusive launch of SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker Bridal, Gilt’s first foray into bridal ready-to-wear that would have Carrie Bradshaw swooning.

    The collection includes dresses, skirts, bodysuits and other pieces, ranging in price from $295 to $2,395 and from sizes 0 to 14.

    "Collaborating with Gilt on my first bridal ready-to-wear collection was an opportunity I couldn't pass up," said Sarah Jessica Parker. "The team there is brilliant and allowed me to be imaginative and take risks as I was designing for the non-traditional bride. It has been quite fun to play around with colors, fabrics and details to create unique pieces for all kinds of brides." The collection, comprised of ten styles, is inspired by Parker's vision of a modern, non-traditional bride, and is designed to dress a woman for a variety of wedding milestone moments; from her bridal shower through her wedding reception. Styles offered are a unique mix of classic dresses and gowns, modern bodysuits, full skirts, and a jumpsuit. The color palette includes traditional bridal white, sleek black, plus pops of blush, poppy, light gray and blue.

    Designed in collaboration with Gilt, the collection was produced in New York City utilizing fabrics like cashmere and stretch crepe sourced from Spain, Italy and France.

    The pieces all feature carefully curated details like elegant bows, sophisticated cutouts, feathers, intricate embroidery and beautiful hand-stitched beading. 

    The actress and style icon is no stranger to chic bridal wear. Carrie Badshaw, famously played by Parker, took part in an elaborate bridal photo shoot in Sex and the City: The Movie. The shoot featured gowns from designers like Christian Lacroix and Lanvin. Parker famously wore a black wedding gown for her own wedding to Matthew Broderick in 1997.

    "Not only is Sarah Jessica Parker's style known around the world, her point of view is one-of-a-kind," says Tom Ott, Chief Merchant of Gilt. "Sarah Jessica brings her impeccable taste and fashion sensibility to life in this collection. We think our customers will be delighted with the offering which is stylish and well-priced in the bridal category."

    As part of the bridal launch, Gilt will also offer 15 exclusive styles from the SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker footwear line, each of which are complementary to the bridal collection. 

    To correspond with the bridal collection launch, Gilt City will present offers from some of Sarah Jessica Parker's favorite places in New York City.

    The offers were each chosen as a way to help brides plan for and celebrate the big day with highlights including, Leather Spa, Lars Nord Studio Tailoring, Mah-Ze-Dahr Bakery, among others.

    More Information:
    http://www.Gilt.com/SJP

  • Alexandra Scarborough
    Tea Forté Introduces ‘Matcha’ Collection

    Convenience meets tradition in Tea Forté’s new Ceremonial Matcha Bowl Set and the Matcha Single Steeps.

    The company said its spring harvested, shade grown, stone ground, organic matcha tea is best served in a centuries-old Japanese tea ceremony called chanoyu: a preparation technique known for its centering meditative qualities.

    "The launch of Tea Forté's Matcha collection represents our continued commitment to wellness and cultivating all the potential mental and physical health benefits of tea," says Tea Forté CEO Michael Gebrael. "In addition to our high quality Pure Matcha, we've also blended four distinct flavored Matcha varieties. Prepackaged in pouches measured out for a single serving, our Single Steeps Matcha is ideal for the office, travel, or to keep with you for a boost anytime."

    Tea Forté noted its handcrafted ceremonial tea bowl, handmade bamboo whisk and measuring ladle “encourages serene enjoyment of our premium Kosher, gluten-free and vegan matcha blends.” These include: Pure Matcha, Chocolate Matcha, Coconut Matcha, Ginger Matcha, and Chai Matcha.

    According to a release, in addition to its distinctive taste, matcha is prized for its health benefits. Steeped green tea contains only the antioxidants that can be extracted in water, while with matcha, the whole leaf is consumed.

    Available now in select stores and online at teaforte.com.

 

 

QUICK 5


Expedia.com has released a year-end look at U.S. traveler behavior and trends for 2017, analyzing data to identify the most in-demand destinations, hotels, activities and more.

Among other insights, the roundup revealed:

  1. Labor Day was the busiest weekend for car rental
  2. Disney Theme Parks topped the list of things to do
  3. The average hotel stay was two nights
  4. Top destinations based on 2017 air travel included major global cities like New York, London and Bangkok
  5. Popular tourist destinations included Orlando, Cancun and Las Vegas