Christmas Hazards:

Check for damages and replace broken lamps:
Unwind the Christmas lighting carefully and check plugs as well as connecting cables for damages. Replace all broken lamps with new ones of the same type (when the lighting rig has been unplugged). Do not stitch or cover exposed wiring with duct tape. If lamp bulbs are not replaced or the wiring is left unrepaired, there is imminent danger of fire. If no appropriate replacement bulbs are available, dispose of the light chain, unless the manual explicitly permits, under rare circumstances, continued operation even if some lamps are broken.

Covering lamps and the related build-up of warmth may cause fires. It is best never to operate light chains unattended.

In case of outdoor operation, mind the necessary humidity protection:
Christmas lights designed for outdoor operation are normally equipped with a separate power supply unit and must be water-proof. Mind the relevant marking on the product (these are at least marked as IPX4 or IP44, or with a water drop inside a triangle). Christmas lights are best plugged into an splash-waterproof outdoor socket. If they are plugged into indoor sockets, avoid squashes at doors or windows. When using extension cords, only use those which are appropriate for outdoor use and humid environment, and feature water-protection.

Children may be attracted to these lights or possibly their shapes and are at a loss to judge the hazard of electrical currents. If light chains are placed directly on the ground, their lamps may be easily stepped on, eventually triggering a deadly electrocution hazard if the chain is operated with a voltage of 230V.

Only buy Christmas lighting with a safety low voltage power supply:
Christmas lighting running on a safety low voltage power supply is hazard-free even with regard to electric shocks.

Only purchase products featuring CE and TÜV markings, as well as a German manual and appropriate safety information:
If the packaging does not show any reference to the name and address of the distributor, or if there is no German manual with safety information in or on the box, then the product does not conform to legal requirements. Further product flaws can therefore not be ruled out. Even separately attached CE and TÜV labels may be an indicator for a potentially non-standardised product. The recognised standard for this type of product is as follows: EN 60598-2-20 – Special Requirements for Lighting Chains.

Only obtain Christmas lights with low energy consumption:
LED-Christmas lights may carry a slightly larger price tag than those employing normal light bulbs, whose higher energy costs during operation soon offset the savings made at the purchase. On average, every 10W of energy consumed by Christmas lights cost 1 € on the basis of about 40 days of operation with a total of 12 hours of lighting per day. Light tubes with light bulbs, measuring 10m lined , for instance, have shown an energy consumption of 160 W. LED versions of the same length exhibit only around 20W energy intake. This means that a LED lighting tube allows energy savings of about 14 € in comparison to a lighting tube using bulbs. LEDs furthermore have a significantly higher durability than bulbs, and much less heat is generated because of the lower energy consumption.

Do not buy the cheapest products:
Standardised LED lighting chains cost around 50 Euro Cent per LED. If light chains equipped with around 20 bulbs cost under 5 €, check the quality criteria as stated in 1) and 3) very carefully.