It’s official. RoSPA - The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents - has issued regular warnings about a whole range of hazards just waiting to happen... all of them arising from what you thought were innocent, Christmas-related activities or accessories. On Christmas Day in 2003 more than 6,000 people were taken to hospital, and over the full 12 days of Christmas the number of casualties rose to more than 80,000.
But what can possibly go wrong? What on earth do people manage to do to turn delight into disaster, transforming celebrations into commiserations? Well, the most common accidents are:
People stabbing themselves with scissors while trying to wrap presents, or open them, too hastily.
Then there is a whole range of bruises and broken limbs resulting from children falling off their new bike or rocking horse.
And then a fascinating series of decoration-related accidents, from being stabbed by tree needles or holly, to falling while putting up Christmas cards. Even tinsel is not as harmless as it looks and last year it caused a good many trips and falls. And finally, Christmas tree lights accounted for more than 350 emergency admissions to hospital.