Christmas is a time of long winter walks wrapped up then spending time snuggled up at home.  Checking your home for safety is a good and quick way of reducing the risk of unnecessary injury.

If you have young children........

......when putting Christmas decorations up just take an extra look at them.  Make sure any Christmas novelties are not left within easy reach of young children, on the floor or hung on the bottom of your tree.  They are not toys and do not follow the same rigorous safety tests.  Many have easily detached small pieces on them or are made of a frame of sharp wire.  Some Christmas stockings even state they are not suitable for children under the age of 36 months - spend an extra couple of seconds to read the label or packaging. 
Check decorations are out of reach.

.....hanging chocolate on your tree encourages very young children to put everything on the tree into their mouths, including ornaments which have had no child safety checks because they are not toys.
Check ornaments are not hung at the bottom of the tree.

.....when putting up Christmas lights, if you need an extra socket please only use a fused strip adaptor.  Using a block adaptor can easily overload the socket and cause a fire. 
Check you have a spare strip adaptor and throw away all block adaptors.

.....lit candles should always be on a heat resistant surface.  Be especially careful with night lights and tea lights, they get hot enough to melt plastic.  TV's are not fire resistant objects. 
Check lit candles are never in the reach of children and are never left lit with no adult in the room.

.....as always make sure your smoke alarm works - don't be tempted to take the battery out on Christmas morning to use in a new toy.  If you burn fossil fuels such as gas, coal, wood or oil you will need a carbon monoxide detector too.
Check you have a working smoke and carbon monoxide alarm.
 

......magnets are a common toy part, but if more than one is swallowed there is a risk they can stick together in a child's tummy and cause the bowel to be damaged. 
Check all magnets are secure in the toy or are out of sight and safety stored away.

......button batteries are found in many toys and watches.  Most button batteries will pass straight through a child if swallowed.  If one does get stuck before it reaches the stomach it can cause burns and must be removed. 
Check all button batteries are out of sight and safely stored away.

.....young children often put things into their mouths, ears and noses.  Inhaled peanuts cause a severe inflammatory reaction to the lungs and must be surgically removed. 
Check peanuts are kept out of reach of small children.