Do real Christmas trees catch fire?

Christmas trees can catch on fire, and although not rare, when they do happen, are "more likely to be serious," says Susan McKelvey from the National Fire Protection Association.
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How likely is it for a real Christmas tree to catch on fire?

Technically, a Christmas tree is always a fire hazard, but it can become more of one once the needles start to dry out. Experts recommend keeping live trees for no more than four weeks, and continuing to water them during that timeframe.
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Can a Christmas tree catch on fire by itself?

Bear in mind that Christmas trees often get a bad rap in the media. They do not spontaneously combust and start a fire any more then your curtains, drapes, or bedding can spontaneously combust and start a fire.
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How do I make sure my Christmas tree doesn't catch on fire?

Avoid a tragedy this holiday season: Seven tips for preventing a Christmas tree-related fire
  1. Pick a fresh-looking tree. ...
  2. Keep the tree watered. ...
  3. Keep tree away from heat. ...
  4. Shake the tree. ...
  5. Check the tree's lights. ...
  6. Turn off your tree's lights. ...
  7. Get rid of your tree soon after the holidays.
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Do Christmas trees explode?

Firs and pines have a lot of sap, which can explode. Flames can flare up out of control and send sparks flying across the room. Creosote deposits can also ignite in the chimney, and cause a chimney fire.
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Christmas tree on fire



How safe is a real Christmas tree?

Of the roughly 354,000 home-structure fires that occur in the U.S. each year, about 160 are attributed to Christmas trees, according to the National Fire Protection Association. While the risk is small compared with other culprits (like kitchen fires), it does exist.
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Is it safe to put lights on a real Christmas tree?

Keep away from open flames- Never light candles near your Christmas tree and keep your tree away from fireplaces, stoves, and other sources of open flames. As pretty as the old fashioned lit candle holders might look on a Christmas tree; they are extremely dangerous and should not be used on your holiday tree.
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Should you unplug your Christmas tree?

Fire risks are present when using an artificial tree due to the electrical component of lights built into an artificial tree. Because of this, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends always turning off Christmas tree lights of any kind "before leaving home or going to bed."
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Is it OK to leave Christmas lights on all night?

While it might seem like a festive treat for the neighbors, it could lead to problems for your home and electricity over time. Before leaving lights on, check the label to determine whether the bulbs and wattage can handle a long night of illumination. Generally, we recommend turning them off before bed.
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How long can I leave my Christmas tree up?

According to tradition, a Christmas tree should be kept up until 12 nights after Christmas. In the Christian religion, the Christmas season ends on the Epiphany, which is celebrated on January 6.
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What is the #1 safety concern when it comes to using real Christmas trees?

A primary concern with a Christmas tree is fire danger, often brought on by the combination of electrical malfunctions and, in the case of a real tree, a drying tree.
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Does anyone leave their Christmas tree up all year?

They found that on average, Americans take their tree down about three weeks (2.9 weeks, to be exact) after Christmas. And 25% of those surveyed admitted to judging those who take the tree down later than "the norm." As part of the survey, Treetopia also discovered which states leave their trees up the longest.
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What date is the 12th night after Christmas Day?

Date. In many Western ecclesiastical traditions, Christmas Day is considered the "First Day of Christmas" and the Twelve Days are 25 December – 5 January, inclusive, making Twelfth Night on 5 January, which is Epiphany Eve.
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What day do you take the Christmas tree down?

According to Christian tradition, January 6 marks the day the three kings actually arrived in Bethlehem and signals the end of the Christmas celebrations.
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When should Christmas decorations come down 2021?

Epiphany is the official end of the festive season on 6th January each year. It's an ancient Christian feast day celebrating the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist, and the arrival of the Three Wise Men.
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Is it unlucky to put up Christmas tree early?

Is it unlucky to put your Christmas tree up early? Traditionally, Christmas trees and decorations were not put up until Christmas Eve – and in the past having the tree up earlier or later than these dates was considered bad luck. Nowadays, most people put their decorations up far earlier without any consequence.
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Is it bad luck to take Christmas tree down before New Year's?

Dec. 31: Take your tree down on New Year's Eve before the bells toll at midnight. Otherwise, it's said you'll be dragging all your baggage and bad luck from last year into the new year… if you're superstitious about these things, that is.
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Which religion doesn t believe in Christmas?

Millions of Christians do not observe Christmas. Among them are Quakers, Jehovah's Witnesses, and members of the Churches of Christ. Some of the half-dozen Christian faiths that do no celebrate Dec.
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What do you eat on Twelfth Night?

The punch wassail is consumed on Twelfth Night and throughout the Christmas season, especially in the UK. Around the world, special pastries such as the tortell and king cake are baked on Twelfth Night, eaten the following day for the Feast of the Epiphany celebrations.
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When should I take down my Christmas tree in February?

After an especially tough year, English Heritage is encouraging the public to do as their medieval ancestors did and leave up their festive adornments until Candlemas on 2 February. This opposes the theory that leaving decorations up beyond Twelfth Night is bad luck, which is a modern take on the tradition.
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Should you take Christmas lights down?

Holiday lights are OK to go up the day after Thanksgiving.

You can take them down anytime after New Year's Day, but before January 6th—that's Three Kings Day and the last of the 12 days of Christmas.
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Why do people have Christmas lights in March?

Traditionally meant to spread cheer during the winter months, holiday lights are being put up all across the country as a reminder to stay positive. There's something about those twinkly little lights that automatically makes us a little bit happier.
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Why does the Queen leave her Christmas decorations up till February?

The Queen keeps her decorations up until the 6th February, to mark the anniversary of the death of her beloved father, King George VI, who passed away at the Sandringham Estate on 6th February 1952.
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What time should you turn off Christmas lights?

For many around the world, January 5 or 6 marks the Epiphany ‒ the final day of the 12 days of Christmas and the time for all holiday decorations to come down. For others, the second week of January is a typical time for the holiday lights to be unplugged and stored away until next year.
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Should you unplug Christmas lights when raining?

“Make sure where everything plugs in is dry and not exposed to the elements because the electricity still goes through the equipment and the light portion, what goes outside is what's important.” He said Christmas lights are meant to be used outside, they will be fine in rainy conditions.
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