New Report Highlights Hidden Fire Risks in Holiday Traditions and How to Celebrate More Safely

Washington, D.C., Oct. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, UL Standards & Engagement released its fourth annual Holiday Safety Guide. The guide offers timely advice to help consumers navigate the season safely, with new findings highlighting risks associated with cooking, decorating, gifting, and traveling. 

“Every year, consumers look forward to the traditions that make the holidays special, but changes in our routines can introduce safety risks we often overlook,” said Jeff Marootian, president and CEO of ULSE. “Our latest research shows just how significant those risks — and their consequences — can be.”

The UL Standards & Engagement guide examines four areas where behaviors change the most during the holidays — gifting, decorating, cooking, and traveling — and draws on a survey of 2,008 U.S. adults. The behavior concerns surfaced in survey findings are paired with expert tips and advice from ULSE leaders who are part of a more than 130-year legacy of safety. 

Key findings in the report include:

1. Counterfeit gifts are common. With 56% of holiday gift buyers saying price matters most in their shopping decisions, consumers may be tempted by deals that compromise safety. Nearly one-third (31%) of gift buyers say they have likely knowingly or unknowingly purchased a counterfeit product as a gift, representing an estimated 70 million buyers. Among consumers who have purchased a counterfeit gift, 74% bought it online, where increasingly sophisticated fake listings can make unsafe products harder to identify.
2. Unsafe decorating contributes to fire risks. While most holiday decorators state they inspect lights (85%) and power cords (87%) for damage, nearly half (46%) admit to daisy-chaining, plugging multiple power strips or extension cords together.
3. Cooking fire risks are made more extreme by lack of alarms. Nearly nine in 10 (87%) holiday home cooks have some form of smoke alarm near the kitchen, but 31% have removed or disabled a smoke alarm at some point, and 59% do not test their alarms monthly. Additionally, 54% do not have a carbon monoxide alarm in their kitchen area, and 24% do not have a fire extinguisher in or near their kitchen.
4. Travelers have a false sense of security. An estimated 74 million Americans (31%) plan to travel away from home this holiday season, but many may be unaware of carbon monoxide risks in hotels and short-term rentals. More than half (53%) of Americans assume upscale hotel chains protect them against carbon monoxide, while 42% believe the same about short-term rental properties, despite gaps in requirements for carbon monoxide alarms.

“The holidays should be a time for celebration, not preventable safety incidents,” said Marootian. “By understanding the risks that can come with seasonal traditions and taking a few simple precautions, consumers can help protect their homes and loved ones and enjoy a safer holiday season.”

For more insights and practical tips on helping stay safe this holiday season, explore ULSE’s full 2026 Holiday Safety Guide here.

Methodology:

Quantitative survey data was taken primarily from a nationally representative online ULSE survey of U.S. adults ages 18+ conducted by BV Insights from August 25 to September 1, 2026 (n=2,008). Additional findings on lithium-ion battery safety were taken from a ULSE Insights survey series conducted from January to August 2026 (n=6,046). Responses were weighted by age, sex, geographic region, race, and education to reflect the U.S. adult population. Any population estimates are based on the U.S. online adult population estimated at 240.2 million using two sources of publicly available data: 2020 wave of the U.S. Census for U.S. adult population estimate of 258.3 million, and Pew Research Center’s Internet/Broadband Fact Sheet which estimates 93% of U.S. adults use the internet, as of 2021.  

Catie Talenti
UL Standards & Engagement
catie.talenti@ul.org