The festive season is a time for frivolity and food – but it’s not all fun and games. Some Christmas classics are dangerous for you, your kids, or your pets.
Dr Bill Boroughf of the National Poisons Centre gave us the lowdown on what you should be wary of at Christmas time, and what you can do to make the holiday season a little bit safer.
Decorations
If you’ve spent years building up a charming collection of vintage Christmas ornaments, or inherited a few from grandma, think carefully about where you hang them.
Vintage decorations can contain lead or pewter, which shouldn’t be a problem if a toddler puts it in their mouth, but could cause trouble if they accidentally bite off a chunk.
Glass decorations may not be a poisoning risk in general, but if they’re hung down low at a smashable height for kids or pets, they could create hazardous shards.
Boroughf said the tree itself isn’t too much of a worry, but if you’re using a fake snow spray to decorate, make sure the room you’re in has good ventilation before doing so.
According to the National Poisons Centre, these snow sprays often contain ingredients which can be harmful when inhaled, like acetone or methylene chloride.
But if you do like the winter wonderland look, don’t worry, once it dries out the fake snow shouldn’t be toxic.
Festive foliage
Some festive foliage favourites present risks you may not expect.
Poinsettia flowers liven up a Christmas tablescape, but if kids get their hands on the leaves and eat a few they might get an upset stomach.
Watch out for the sap too, as it can cause a rash if it comes into contact with skin. Give it a wash with soap and water if that occurs.
Holly berries may not be as common in Aotearoa as they are overseas, but if you do encounter them make sure they’re well out of reach of kids.
Their bright red colour can be tempting for children, but if more than one or two are eaten they can cause nausea, vomiting and weakness.
And if you’ve got furry friends, you might want to stay away from Christmas lilies. They’re poisonous to both dogs and cats, but they pose a serious risk to cats in particular.
All parts of the lily are highly toxic to cats, and can cause organ failure and potentially death if ingested.
If someone in your family has ingested a plant that you’re not sure about, try to take some pictures and put them through Google image search or a plant identification app before calling the National Poisons Centre.
It’s easier for the team to give advice if they know the name of the plant that’s been eaten.
Christmas dinner
Baking a coin into your Christmas pudding as per tradition is a potential holiday hazard, said The National Poisons Centre.
The coin can taint the pudding, or be swallowed by an unsuspecting family member.
It suggests putting coins under plates instead, or wrapping a coin securely in tin foil before baking it in the pud, and letting all the diners know that it’s there before eating.
It’s not just pudding that could give you problems.
With the amount of meat on your average Christmas table, food safety is also a very real concern.
Remember to thoroughly defrost any meat that’s been frozen, keep cooked and raw meat separate, and ensure poultry, pork, and mince meat are thoroughly cooked – a thermometer can help with this.
Once you’re done eating, don’t wait too long before putting away the leftovers, and make sure you finish them off within the next few days.
Alcohol
With the eggnog, champagne, and brandy flowing, alcohol poisoning is also something to watch out for.
Children might be curious about a half-filled glass, or a bottle that’s usually kept out of sight, so be mindful of them when the drinks come out.
Common gifts like perfumes and aftershave are also high in alcohol, and should be kept away from kids.
And an alcohol-based danger you may not have thought of is the reed diffuser.
They’re the best friend of anyone trying to freshen up the house, or add a bit of festive scent, but many have a high alcohol concentration.
They are also often oil-based, which can cause lung issues if someone breathes some in while trying to drink it.
Batteries
Boroughf puts particular emphasis on the dangers of button batteries.
You can find these in hearing aids, some toys, and remotes.
Usually they’re under a screw that’s tough to get undone, but in some cases - such as toys with lower safety standards - the covers may not be secure.
This poses a problem for kids because they’re “small, shiny, and easy to put in the mouth” but can cause serious damage if ingested.
There is a risk of internal burns or perforation if they leak, and if swallowed the batteries can lodge themselves in the throat or stomach.
Boroughf said if the National Poisons Centre gets a call about a missing button battery that could have potentially been ingested, they recommend seeking medical help.
Medication
Boroughf said the medications of visiting guests are one of the biggest risks to be mindful of over the festive season.
He suggests talking to visitors about ways to keep their medication safely out of the way of children, particularly if they aren’t used to having kids around.
Medications for treating gout or cardiovascular issues are of particular concern.
When taken out of their packaging and put in a pill organiser, pills can be easy for kids to access, and because the organiser is colourful, rattles, is easy to open, and the pills inside look like sweets, it can prove appealing.
Vapes
In 2022 about one in 12 people aged 15 or older were daily vapers, and that means it’s pretty likely someone in your family will be bringing their vape along to Christmas dinner.
Even if nobody leaves a vape lying around, kids are great at going through purses, and the combination of sweet smell and colourful juice can be tempting.
Boroughf said nicotine ingestion is quite a risk, particularly for children under five.
This ingestion can happen in a couple of different ways.
Refills are essentially just small bottles that can be sucked on, and even though most have a flow restrictor, the efficacy of these can vary.
Any vaping device that can be disassembled or has an accessible nicotine container could have its contents spilled or drunk.
Try to keep track of vapes when there are children around and keep them in a safe place when they’re not in use.
What can you do?
When asked if there’s anything he’d keep out of the house entirely this Christmas, Boroughf stressed that “everything can be a poison” under certain conditions, and that there’s not necessarily anything he’d keep out under any circumstances other than garage chemicals.
Being mindful of safety measures, and not just which items could be harmful, is really important.
He warns not to rely too much on child safety locks for cabinets that are at heights little hands can reach, as kids are surprisingly good at bypassing these measures.
Keep anything that might be dangerous well out of reach, and have a talk with family members who are visiting about being mindful of safety.
Having a designated spot ready to go where potential hazards can be stashed on arrival could be a good idea.
And, if you or someone else has ingested something you think may be dangerous, make sure to give the National Poisons Centre a call on 0800 POISONS (0800 764 766). It’s better to be safe than sorry.
The service is free, and can be called from your cell phone even if you’re out of minutes.
It’s available 24/7 365, so don’t worry about calling on Christmas morning – someone is always there to help.
Boroughf’s final advice is to do a bit of homework and prep prior to Christmas, “so you can be present in the moment” to “enjoy whānau and tamariki and the fun they bring".
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