And may the forest beauty be safe

As you prepare to celebrate the New Year, it's important not to forget fire safety measures when setting up your Christmas tree. Careless handling of fire can cast a shadow over your festivities. What precautions should you take to ensure this wonderful holiday isn't spoiled?

The tree must be securely fixed on a stable stand. It's best to remove carpets and rugs from under the tree. When choosing a spot for your festive fir, consider not only where it will look most impressive but also where it will be safest – typically, this means away from heating appliances, televisions, and radiators.

Most artificial Christmas trees are highly flammable and release toxic substances when burning. This applies more to older trees, as many modern ones (usually imported and quite expensive) are made from non-flammable materials or treated with a special fire-retardant coating. Therefore, it's better to replace an old artificial tree with a real one – it brings more joy and less danger. However, don't keep a real tree for too long: it dries out quickly and can ignite from the slightest spark.

The best decoration for a Christmas tree is an electric garland. The most important recommendation is to buy it from stores, not from street vendors or market stalls.

Exercise particular caution when using sparklers – if you light a sparkler, step away from the tree and hold it by the metal part. After the sparkler has burned out, place the spent stick in a container of water.

As you can see, these measures are not overly complicated. They will help ensure your holiday is not marred by incidents. And if an emergency situation does occur, call rescuers at 101 or 112.

Happy, and most importantly, safe New Year to you!