Holiday Lighting Safety: What the Fire Data Says and How to Decorate Safely

Written by Rick Kovac, COO of Golden Lighting

The takeaway: The fire data points to three holiday hazards: tree lights and wiring, candles, and the stove. Check your strands, keep candles and heat away from anything that burns, and don't ask your light fixtures to do jobs they weren't built for.

Key takeaways:

• US fire departments respond to an average of 155 home Christmas tree fires a year, and more than 2 in 5 involve electrical distribution or lighting equipment (NFPA, 2018–2022).
• Candles start about a third of home decoration fires all year, and 46% of them in December.
• Inspect every light strand before it goes up, follow the maker's limit on connected strands, and keep the tree 3 feet from heat.
• Don't hang garland or ornaments from chandeliers or sconces, and never exceed a fixture's maximum bulb wattage.

The holidays are when we ask the most of our homes' lighting and wiring. More strands, more extension cords, more candles, more cooking, and more guests. The National Fire Protection Association calls December a leading month for US home fires, and the data shows exactly where the risk comes from.

None of this should stop you from decorating. It should change how you do it.

Styled scene: the Kinsley 3-light Island Light in Antique Ivory shade lighting the holiday cooking. Nothing is hung from the fixture, and the candles are battery-operated, in lanterns at the far end of the island from the stove.

What the fire data says

The NFPA's December 2024 release, based on fire department data from 2018 to 2022, gives these annual averages:

Fire type	Annual average	What stands out
Home Christmas tree fires	155 fires; 4 deaths, 7 injuries, $15 million in damage	More than 40% involve electrical distribution or lighting equipment
Home decoration fires (not counting trees)	About 835 fires	Candles start 32% of them, rising to 46% in December
Home cooking fires	—	Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were the second- and third-busiest days of 2022

Source: NFPA, December 2024 release (2018–2022 data). Golden Lighting chart.

Tree fires are rare, but they can be serious, and wiring and lights are involved in more than 2 in 5 of them. Candles are a much more common source of decoration fires, and December is when they peak.

Tree and string lights

1. Inspect every strand before it goes up. The U.S. Fire Administration says to throw away any strand with frayed or damaged wires. We'd add cracked sockets and loose bulbs to that list.
2. Follow the connection limit. Every strand's packaging tells you how many sets can be connected end to end. Don't exceed it.
3. Use outdoor-rated lights and cords outside. Indoor strands aren't built for rain and cold.
4. Keep the tree at least 3 feet from heat: fireplaces, radiators, space heaters, candles and heat vents. Keep it clear of exits, too.
5. Water a live tree every day. A dry tree burns much faster. Take it down after the holidays or as soon as it dries out.
6. Turn the lights off when you go to bed or leave the house.

Our rule: if a strand has spent a year in a box in the attic, it gets inspected before it gets plugged in.

Candles

Candles are where the December numbers jump. The USFA's guidance is simple: keep candles at least 12 inches from anything that can burn, use sturdy holders where they won't be knocked over, and never leave them burning in an empty room. Battery-operated candles give you the same look with no flame. For window displays and garland, they're the safer choice.

If you love real candles at the table, our Thanksgiving table lighting guide shows how a well-dimmed chandelier lets a few candles do a lot of work.

Your light fixtures are not decoration hooks

This part is ours: the fixture mistakes we most want you to avoid this December.

• Don't hang garland, ribbon or ornaments from a chandelier or sconce. Fixtures get warm, fabric and greenery can sit against bulbs, and extra weight pulls on an electrical box that was sized for the fixture alone. The electrical code requires ceiling boxes to hold at least 50 pounds, and standard wall boxes are only rated for fixtures up to 6 pounds.
• Never exceed the fixture's maximum wattage. It's printed on a label inside the socket area. Swapping in a brighter old-style bulb for a party is how sockets and wiring overheat. Our bulb selection tips explain how to pick the right replacement.
• Use the right fixture outdoors. Porch and entry fixtures that get rained on need a wet-location rating; covered porch ceilings need at least a damp rating.
• If a fixture flickers, buzzes or feels hot to the touch, turn it off and have it checked. Don't just change the bulb and hope.

The kitchen

The busiest cooking days of the year are also among the riskiest. Stay in the kitchen while the stovetop is on, keep towels and paper away from burners, and keep the work area well lit so you can see what you're doing. Task lighting over the stove and counters isn't just about convenience on Christmas Eve.

Shop this guide

• Enso Integrated LED 24" Outdoor Wall: integrated LED for the entry, so there are no bulbs to swap in the cold. It's wet-location rated, so it can take rain and snow at an open front door.
• Kinsley 3-light Island Light: task light where the holiday cooking happens.
• Clarus 10in Integrated LED Pendant: integrated LED pendant for the island.

Browse outdoor lighting or find a Golden Lighting retailer, and have a licensed electrician handle any new fixture installation.

— seen a lot of light fixtures in 80+ countries. Still learning what actually works in a home.