LOUISVILLE, Ky. — With so many festive ways to spruce up the indoors and outdoors this holiday season, it is easy to forget about safety when decorating. This year, Louisville Gas and Electric and Kentucky Utilities Company urge customers to follow these important tips to keep the holidays safe and happy:

• Lower operating costs and increase safety by using LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting. LED lights use 10 times less energy than incandescent mini-lights and 100 times less energy than standard bulbs.
• Check for damaged insulation, cracked sockets, and bare wires when plugging in any lights.
• Connect decorative lights to multi-outlet power strips that contain their own breakers.
• Remember the rule of three: Use no more than three sets of lights on a single extension cord to avoid the risk of over heating.
• Place cords where they won't create a tripping hazard.
• Don't run cords under rugs, through doorways, around sharp corners or over radiators or pipes.
• Locate the tree away from heat sources that could dry it out, such as heating ducts, radiators, the fireplace or the television.
• Never use lighted candles on a tree or near evergreens. Always use non-flammable holders, and place candles out of reach of pets and children.
• If you use an artificial tree, choose one that's fire-resistant.
• Before stringing lights in outdoor trees, check to be sure the tree hasn't grown too close to power lines. If it comes in contact with the power lines, the entire tree could be electrified.
• Check all smoke detectors to see if batteries need to be replaced.