Christmas Decorating

It's about time to drag out the Christmas decorations again. I have but one thing to say; be careful. You will not spend a happy holiday in a cast.

I see folks who have not engaged in a lot physical activity in a very long time struggling up and down ladders, trying to keep strings of lights untangled, and  attempting to drive nails. All worthy endeavors but, remember, you don't have to do it all at once. If you are not used to such activities, take your time.

If your lights are old, and there are burnt out bulbs, don't spend a lot of time replacing them. Just buy new ones. They're not that expensive and it's worth the cost to save the aggravation. Don't overdo the lights. Aesthetics aside, you don't want to overload circuits. In fact, switch to LED bulbs. They're cooler and draw  a lot less power.

Get a helper. You really want someone to steady the ladder, hand you tools and keep the lights strings from tangling. Also, remember: those warnings on ladders that say do not step on the top rung are there for a reason. It is just not safe to work from there.

There are options. I once decorated a place by using colored spot lights. Now, that is simple because you can get them with solar batteries that charge enough in the day light to last all night. Just stick them in the ground and go on with your day.

It's nice to decorate for the holidays, but there is no reason to overdo, and many reasons to be careful.