12 Days Of Holiday Mishaps — How To Avoid Them & Keep Your Family Safe

You may have doubled over with laughter watching a beloved holiday movie protagonist zap himself with his overzealous Christmas light display, but that doesn’t mean you want to watch that scenario play out in real life.

Nevertheless, with all the joy and merriment they bring, the holidays also tend to bring along chaos and mishaps — from turkey fires and slick roads to parking lots packed with distracted drivers. Thankfully, State Farm is here for you with 12 of the most common holiday mishaps and how to avoid them to stay safe this holiday season.

1. Kitchen Fires

It’s easy for hosts to become overwhelmed and distracted while cooking or baking, and unfortunately cooking fires peak during the holiday season. In 2021, State Farm reported $142M in total claim costs for grease fires and cooking-related fires. Increase your vigilance this holiday season by reviewing kitchen rules with the whole family. Keep littles out of the kitchen when cooking, store combustibles away from heat sources, and wear short, fitted sleeves when working with heat. You can also limit risk by turning pan handles inward, and, of course, having a working fire extinguisher nearby. Finally, relying on timers is a great help in not forgetting a dish in the oven.

2. Turkey Fryer Fires

Whether you’re a beginner cook or an experienced chef, a lot can go wrong when frying a turkey. This year, State Farm has already paid out a total of $4M for outdoor cooking fires — and that was before Thanksgiving. If your holiday is incomplete without fried turkey, it’s critical that you research and follow all safety precautions, like completely defrosting your turkey prior to frying it, using the correct amount of oil, and ensuring you have adequate space outside (only outside!) to manage frying a turkey.

3. Candle & Tree Fires

It’s important to burn candles in short increments and keep them away from kids, pets, and holiday decorations. The annual average fire claim in 2021 cost over $50,000 — up 57% from 2020. Don’t let your real holiday tree overstay its welcome, either. Last year, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 7,400 home fires that were started by candles, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

4. Pet Bites

When family and friends flood your home for the holidays, the increased noise levels and new faces can scare your pets, leaving them feeling overwhelmed. Placing pets in a quiet room away from guests can help reduce anxiety and the risk of animals biting out of fear. Pet medical insurance can also help pay for emergencies, like when your dog eats an entire turkey or the cat chews on holiday lights.

5. Electrical Fires

If our favorite holiday comedy movies haven’t made it clear, holiday lights can start fires if precautions aren’t taken — electrical distribution and lighting equipment was involved in nearly half (45%) of home Christmas tree fires, and holiday lights cause more than 770 house fires every year. Don’t leave lights on trees or on other decorations when you go to bed or leave the house, as they could short and start a fire. Lastly, if you have a homeowners policy with State Farm, you can get a free service called Ting to monitor your home’s electrical network for faults that can lead to fires.

6. Outdoor Holiday Lights Fires

If you decorate outdoors, make sure you use lights and decorations intended for outdoor use, keep your setup out of areas that can get water-logged, and don’t overload circuits with too many strands of lights.

7. Car Burglary & Theft

While the holiday season can be full of excitement and great shopping deals, it’s also the time of year when shopping center parking lots can be full of hazards. During the holidays, parking lots can become targets for thieves looking to break into cars to plunder shopping bags and other valuables. Remember to lock your car when you leave it, park under good lighting, and ensure valuables or shopping bags are tucked away and out of sight.

8. Parking Lot Collisions

Everyone’s in a rush during the holidays, and unfortunately all that hustle and bustle can lead to people navigating parking lots too quickly without paying enough attention. In fact, one in five of all car accidents occur in parking lots, with more than 50,000 parking lot accidents occurring each year according to research from the National Safety Council.

9. Holiday Driving Accidents

Holiday travel means more cars on slick roads. With all that shuttling of littles to holiday concerts and events, you’ll want to take extra caution on the road. And be sure to watch for deer (and reindeer!) — November and December are two of the riskiest months for an animal collision.

10. Chimney Fires

When’s the last time you cleaned your chimney or had maintenance check for needed repairs? Most chimney fires are caused by a dirty chimney, so you’ll definitely want to clean out any soot. You should also have a working chimney cap, use a fireplace screen to catch flying sparks, and keep the area around your fireplace clear of flammable materials — including hanging stockings.

11. Injuries In The Home

There are plenty of ways to be injured around the house during the holiday season. Personal injury claims are filed against all types of insurance policies due to unexpected mishaps at holiday celebrations. Make sure to be aware of your surroundings, clear and salt walkways during icy weather, and clean up messes as they happen to avoid accidents.

12. Be A Good Neighbor

Anyone whose tailbone has experienced the harsh impact of a cold, slick driveway knows the importance of shoveling and salting sidewalks. Be a good neighbor and shovel yours as soon as you’re able.

A few other neighborly things you can do as part of your community: Stop for a minute and have a friendly conversation. Keep noise levels to a minimum. If you're leaving for the holidays, ask a trusted friend, neighbor, or Neighborhood Watch member to watch your home — or be that neighbor for someone else.

The holidays should be a joyous time to reconnect with loved ones, so make sure you’re prepared for any unexpected moment by getting a personalized quote from a State Farm agent.