Report Spotlights Gifting, Cooking, Decorating, and Traveling Safety Risks and Ways to Avoid Unnecessary Stressors this Holiday Season

Increased Awareness and Behavior Changes Can Help Keep Consumers Safer

Washington, D.C. – Today, UL Standards & Engagement released its second annual Holiday Safety Guide outlining key safety considerations prompted by behavioral changes surrounding the holidays. Consumers change the way they decorate houses, cook more elaborate meals, travel across the country, and purchase more gifts. New to the report this year is data on the prevalence of counterfeit purchases and information about upcoming changes to smoke alarms that will lead to greater fire protection for holiday cooks.
 
“The holidays are a time for friends and family to gather around the table — not the ER,” said Dr. George Borlase, interim executive director and vice president of standards at UL Standards & Engagement. “We are highlighting some of the biggest safety missteps and how to avoid them, so everyone enjoys a memorable holiday season, for all the right reasons.”
 
The UL Standards & Engagement report examines four areas where activities change the most during the holidays — gifting, decorating, cooking, and traveling — and draws on a survey of 2,004 U.S. adults. The behavior concerns surfaced in survey findings are paired with expert advice from ULSE leaders who are part of 120+ year legacy of developing safety standards.
 
Key findings in the report include: 

1. Gifting: Counterfeits are a major safety concern, particularly for the electronics and battery-powered items that are atop gift lists. A concerning minority say they plan to intentionally purchase counterfeit goods (14%) or will consider counterfeit goods if authentic versions are too expensive (18%). Those minority percentages, however, translate to approximately 24 million adults who plan to purchase counterfeit goods and 31 million who will consider them.
2. Decorating: While most holiday decorators admit they inspect lights (83%) and power cords (84%) for damage, more than half admit to daisy-chaining, plugging multiple power strips or extension cords together.
3. Cooking: The vast majority (87%) of holiday cooks have some sort of smoke alarm system near their kitchens but many remain at risk with only 42% following best practices of testing alarms monthly. Further, many holiday cooks do not have carbon monoxide alarms (53%) or a fire extinguisher (26%) in the kitchen area.
4. Traveling: 81 million Americans plan to travel this holiday season, but many of them are unaware of the risk of carbon monoxide when staying in hotels or short-term rentals. 65% of travelers staying in upscale hotels and 56% in rental properties assume they are protected against carbon monoxide, but codes and regulations vary by state — and fewer than half of states have relevant rules in place.

The survey revealed key areas for risk mitigation. ULSE experts are weighing in with advice for consumers to stay safe this season:

• “If a deal looks too good to be true, think twice. Buying counterfeit items that are not held to any safety standards is inherently more hazardous. These items, especially electronics with batteries, can cause electrical shock, burns, and even fires. When shopping this year, look for items that are certified to relevant safety standards and always follow manufacturer guidelines for use.” — Lesley Rohrbaugh, head of insights and policy analysis at UL Standards & Engagement
• “The holiday season shows a clear correlation to an increase in home fires. Detection is prevention. Always make sure you have working smoke alarms in your home. There should be one inside and outside of every bedroom, on every level, including the basement. To minimize false alarms, have one at least 10 ft away from your cooking appliances. Remember to test alarms regularly and keep a fire extinguisher handy in case you forget that last batch of cookies is still in the oven.” — Diane Haithcock, standards program director at UL Standards & Engagement
• “With 81 million Americans traveling during the holidays, staying safe means thinking beyond the home. For those flying, keep rechargeable devices and spare batteries within reach and never in your checked luggage. For those staying in hotels or rental properties, don’t assume you’re protected where you’re staying — pack a portable CO alarm for peace of mind.” — David Wroth, director of the Thermal Runaway Incident Program at UL Standards & Engagement
• “Lighting up our homes is an important tradition, but unsafe practices that too many decorators admit to shouldn’t be part of it. Keep your lights sparkling not sparking by checking cords and outlets for damage and avoiding stringing too many strands of lights together.” — Sayon Deb, director of primary insights at UL Standards & Engagement

For more insights and consumer tips on staying safe this season, see the full Holiday Safety Guide here.

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Methodology 

Holiday Study  

This UL Standards & Engagement Insights survey measures consumer understanding, behavior, and sentiment across four thematic areas related to the U.S. fall and winter holiday season – seasonal decorations, preparing holiday meals, gifting, and holiday travel. 
 
This nationally representative survey of 2,004 U.S. adults was designed by ULSE and conducted online by BV Insights between September 23-27, 2024. The margin of sampling error at 95% confidence for aggregate results is +/- 2.2%.
 
Population segments that track higher or lower than overall results are noted where applicable; these results are statistically significant at the 95% confidence level. Available demographic information: gender identity, age/generation, geographic location, urban/suburban, marital status, family composition, own/rent, education, employment, income, racial identity, LGBTQ+ identity, disability/accessibility, political leaning.
 
Conversions from the data from percentages to number of U.S. adults were created using two sources of publicly available data: (1) 2020 wave of the U.S. Census for U.S. adult population estimate of 258.3 million, and (2) Pew Research Center’s Internet/Broadband Fact Sheet which estimates 93% of U.S. adults use the internet, as of 2021.

September 2024 Lithium-Ion Battery Study

This survey was designed and formulated by UL Standards & Engagement. It presents the findings of an online survey conducted by Big Village, among a total sample of 2,024 U.S. adults between September 5-9, 2024. The margin of sampling error at 95% confidence for aggregate results is +/- 2.2%.

About ULSE

UL Standards & Engagement is a nonprofit organization that translates safety science into action through standards development, partnerships, and advocacy. Since 1903, we have developed nearly 1,700 standards and guidance documents for products ranging from fire doors to autonomous vehicles. ULSE enables innovation and grows trust by convening experts, and informing policymakers and regulators as we work toward a safer, more secure and sustainable future. Visit ulse.org for more information.

Contact

Catie Talenti
UL Standards & Engagement
Senior Strategic Communications Specialist
P: (607) 742-8766
catie.talenti@ul.org