Article curtesy of www.esfi.org:

Between 2009-2013, U.S. fire departments responded to an annual average of 860 home structure fires that began with holiday decorations and an additional 210 home structure fires that began with Christmas trees according to the National Fire Protection Association.

• Keep decorations or any other flammable items at least 3 ft away from open flame and heat sources.
• Inspect all decorations to ensure they do not have any frayed or pinched wires and discard any worn decorations.
• Ensure multiple extension cords are never strung together or are ran under rugs, carpets or furniture. And make sure those used outdoors are labeled “for outdoor use.”
• Never leave cooking equipment unattended and turn off burners if you have to leave the room.
• Never leave a space heater unattended and turn it off when you’re leaving a room or going to sleep. Never let pets or children play too close to a space heater.
• Water Christmas Trees daily and discard trees when they are dry and begin to drop needles.

Curtesy of http://www.esfi.org/resource/holiday-fire-prevention-it-s-the-gift-that-keeps-on-giving-536