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1. Burn brightly
Whether for a menorah or a holiday buffet, sometimes you need real candles. Just be sure to set them at least a foot away from anything flammable. More than one-quarter of candle fires start because they're too close to items such as curtains and gifts. Never leave a candle unattended, and remember to blow out all candles when you leave the house or go to bed.

2. Set a timer
Or three. A main cause of holiday-season residential fires is food that's left unattended. Track your multitude of frying, boiling and baking deadlines with a lineup of timers. Label each with a sticky note so you'll know that it's the sweet potatoes that need attention, not the pumpkin pie.

3. Shop without fear!
Forget about the Grinch stealing your holiday gifts. Your MetLife Auto & Home homeowners policy would cover the theft of items from your car or even from under the tree.

4. Re-arm alarms
Replace smoke and carbon monoxide alarm batteries every six months. If you haven't yet, this is the time to do it. Then test them every month.

5. Get green with LEDs
LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, are as festive as old-fashioned light strings, but many use up to 90 percent less energy.

6. Go wickless
The top days for candle fires are Christmas Eve and Day, New Year's Eve and Day, and Halloween. Choose a safer option: battery-powered LED "candles" that flicker realistically.

7. Be generator-smart
If you lose power during the holidays, take your backup generator outdoors before starting it. Otherwise you risk poisoning yourself and your guests with carbon monoxide.

8. Ring a bell
Okay, this one isn't about safety, but it will still make you feel good. Volunteer for The Salvation Army's annual holiday red kettle fund-raiser. Learn how at salvationarmyusa.org.

9. Examine eaves
While hanging outdoor decorations, inspect your gutters for any damage or sagging. Also check for any debris to prevent ice buildup that can force gutters to pull away from the house and potentially cause thousands of dollars in damage.

10. Fight fire wisely
Fire! If there's any doubt that you and your fire extinguisher can tackle a blaze, head outside immediately and call 911.

11. Go ribbon-free
Gifts wrapped with colorful ribbons (or yarn or string) look like toys to pets, says Dr. Louise Murray of the ASPCA. If swallowed, those colorful festoons could mean a trip to a pet emergency clinic. Learn more at drlouisemurray.com.

12. Extinguish your risks
If you don't already own a fire extinguisher -- or the one you have is more than six years old -- install an ABC unit, which can handle all three classes of fire, in or near the kitchen. If you have an expensive TV or a computer, consider a CO2 (carbon dioxide) extinguisher, which is less likely to harm electronics.

13. Pack a car kit
Get ready for winter driving by outfitting your vehicles with blankets, flashlights, nonperishable foods, bottled water, and sand or cat litter (for traction, if needed).

14. Foil thieves
Make copies of both sides of the cards you carry: license, credit and debit cards, insurance cards and so on. That way if your wallet is lost or stolen, you'll know whom to call.

15. help your tree drink
A cut tree can seal up with sap in minutes. Keep your tree drinking water with a fresh cut and three or four holes drilled in the trunk just below the waterline.

16. Mask those boxes
Don't announce your new flat-screen TV to burglars by putting the intact box out by the trash. Break it down for recycling, turn it inside out or tear it into pieces that will fit inside a garbage bag.

17. Wise up your phone
Protect your privacy by securing your smartphone's info and email with a strong password.

18. Designate a driver
Celebrate safely by knowing ahead of time how you will get home.

19. Corral the kids
Before holiday feast guests arrive, use masking tape to mark a 3-foot no-go safety zone around the stove to show kids where they aren't allowed to roam. If you don't want tape on the floor, appoint an adult to act as a youngster rustler.

20. Don't get burned
Never toss an evergreen tree or wreath into your fireplace. It's a hazard because they burn so fast. It can also lead to creosote buildup, another fire hazard. Instead recycle evergreen boughs as garden mulch or let your community compost them.