The holidays can be a cheerful time of the year.  I personally love the falling snow, the peace and serenity seen when all is quiet, and of course the joy of Christmas.  With friends and family visiting, setting up and taking down decorations, and all of the food, hazards exist that can make the holidays a less joyful time of the year.

Let's begin with a very sincere and heartfelt concern about giving pets as gifts at Christmas.  This may not seem like a big "hazard"'; however, if one would take some time to visit a shelter or humane society facility it doesn't take long to see that many of them were abandoned, left as stray, or worse euthanized due to a lack of careful planning and consideration to the needs of the pet and the ability of the owner to provide those needs.

Pets definitely do NOT make suitable gifts for kids, especially if you believe that it is to teach responsibility and the owners has made a "deal" or arrangements for the children to do all of the work.  If as the parent, one has not planned on having the time and the interest to take on ALL of the care required, a child (especially teenagers) typically doesn't follow through.