Kid proofing your holiday decorations

Let's set one fact straight right off the bat: Poinsettias are not toxic. You still don't want your kid eating those red leaves, but if they happen to take a nibble, they're more likely to get a serious tummy ache or perhaps a rash from touching the leaves.

Okay, now that we've taken care of the poinsettia issue, let's talk about holiday decorating when you have little kids.

You want your house to look gorgeous, colorful and fun. And yes, you can! But with young children in the house, you need to keep a few things in mind:

• Keep this phone number handy: 1-800-222-1222. It's the number for U.S. Poison Control Centers. And don't hesitate to use it if you have any questions about toxicity of a plant or substance.

• First and foremost, treat holiday decorating as you would treat child-proofing your home. If you have a crawling baby or toddler, don't put out any items that could be considered choking hazards. If an ornament or trinket can fit through the an empty toilet paper roll, it's too small to be out.

• Mistletoe? Highly toxic. Don't bother until your little ones are older. Make fake mistletoe out of construction paper. But really, you can surely find many reasons to kiss without having to be under mistletoe, right? And did you know that pine needles can be toxic too? Reviewthis list of plants that are common holiday decorations that could be toxic for your kids (and pets).

• Make sure your Christmas tree is stable. You wouldn't want it to topple over on your little kid.

• When you're putting ornaments on your Christmas tree, keep those glass and highly-fragile decorations off the tree. Or place them towards the top of the tree, where they will be out of reach from curious little hands.

• Keep candles and the menorah safely out of reach. And if you're using a fireplace, don't let your kid go near it. Enough said.

• Make sure your little one knows those strings of lights around your home are not for touching or eating. (For crawlers and toddlers, try saying "HOT!" when they go near those lights or the outlets where the lights are plugged in.)

• Are you using wrapping paper for holiday gifts? Consider taking the Tonic News No Gift Wrap Challenge. But if you choose to use real paper, know that some wrapping paper contains lead in the colors.