Quiz: Test Your Holiday Safety Smarts

Despite common belief, poinsettias aren’t particularly dangerous to our four-legged friends. But mistletoe is. Eating the leaves or berries can make your dog or cat feel sicker than an over-indulger the morning after New Year’s Eve. Wrap mistletoe in a piece of netting before hanging it to keep pieces from hitting the ground — and making their way into your pet’s stomach.

Unless you happen to be extremely knowledgeable about repairing wires, it’s best to replace damaged ones. Before you hang your lights, check for frayed, damaged or loose wires and any broken bulbs or sockets. When in doubt, throw it out.

Trick question! You shouldn’t wash your bird. Rinsing raw poultry ups the risk of bacteria being splashed all over your sink and counters — especially when you’re trying to maneuver 15 or more pounds of slipperiness under your faucet! Cooking to a safe temp — 165 degrees — will take care of any germs.

Charlie Brown didn't know this, but a fresh tree won’t dry out as fast and won’t be as much of a fire risk as one that’s already dry. Another test: Try bending a needle. It should bounce back instead of snapping in two.

Unless the package tells you otherwise, never string together more than three sets of lights. Also, look for the UL label when buying lights. And if your lights are new or you haven’t plugged them in since last year, plug them in first, before you spend hours stringing them up, to make sure all the bulbs light up.

First, how big is your microwave exactly? If you’re in a rush, you can thaw the bird in the microwave, if it fits. Just be sure to cook it immediately after you thaw it. But never zap a whole turkey. It will cook the big bird unevenly, which could lead to undercooked portions.

Although burning evergreens might smell good and all holiday-like, they can flare up fast and throw sparks into your house. The coated material on gift wrap can create dangerous fumes — plus, it can also burn quickly and send out sparks.

Both fishing line and an air freshener can help. Find a spot near a wall that already has a hook for a picture or hanging plant. Tie fishing line around the tree, near the top, and secure it to the hook. If you have a cat that likes to climb, try hanging a lemon-scented car air freshener in the branches. Most cats will say ick and stay away.

Aspirin, sugar and store-bought mixes won’t keep your tree from drying out. What your tree really needs is water. It should drink about a quart of water a day the first week. To make watering easy, attach 2-3 feet of vinyl tubing (available at hardware stores) to a funnel. Fasten the funnel with a twist-tie to an out-of-sight but easy-to-reach branch, with the tubing reaching into the tree stand.

Some people wait for hot leftovers to cool so their fridges don’t have to work so hard. But letting food sit out gives bacteria a chance to multiply. To cool food faster and avoid condensation, divide it into small, shallow containers and place in the fridge. Skip the lids for a few minutes until things cool off.