However, chrishaps don’t have to be a yuletide rite-of-passage.
RTL Today took a look at some of the more unusual holiday misadventures that might serve as cautionary tales so you, our readers, can stay safe and well. It’s all about elf and safety after all.
The risk of certain injuries seems to increase at this time of year with one in particular making headlines this year.
German doctors have warned of the significant increased risk of penile fractures during the Christmas period.
Urologists at the Ludwig Maximilian University said that penile fractures are considered a medical emergency and advised couples to be aware of it as well as advising caution during festive frolics.
The research, published in the December edition of the British Journal of Urology International, stated that “the intimacy and euphoria of these holly jolly days” can lead to this type of injury.
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year, there is always much mistletoeing and hearts are glowing, when loved ones are near. In other words, Christmas might be a risk factor for penile fractures due to the ‘Christmas spirit’..,” they add.
The study revealed that a total of 3,421 patients in Germany aged between 32 and 51 years had a penile fracture requiring a hospital stay between 2005 and 2021.
Cheers not tears
Watch out for those bubbly beverages. If you’re popping the cork on a sparkling wine bottle over the festive period bear in mind that cork eye injuries can be significant, according to a study by the British Medical Journal. The study warned it takes 0.05 seconds for the cork to travel from the bottle to your eye. With a speed of 80km per hour, the flying cork can cause serious eye injuries including blindness retinal detachment and lens dislocation, it warns.
‘Holiday heart’ syndrome
Many enjoy a tipple or two at this time of year but did you know there is a seasonal heart syndrome that is directly attributed to the increased consumption of alcohol?
‘Holiday heart’ is characterised as “electrical disturbances in the heart rhythm that’s seen around December holidays”, according to The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. Symptoms include palpitations, shortness of breath, anxiety, weakness and chest pain.
The authors state that the exact biochemistry of the syndrome is unknown, but the correlation between atrial fibrillation and binge drinking is “undeniable.”
Stay steady
The Christmas essentials such as putting up lights and decorations are a fun part of the celebrations. However, this can also pose an injury threat with people reportedly falling from ladders, chairs, roofs and other furniture all in the name of creating that Christmas ambiance. A study from Canada found that people who injured themselves hanging Christmas lights spent an average of 15 days in hospital. Furthermore, tree lights are particularly hazardous to children as they are the perfect size for them to eat or inhale. A paediatric ingestion study in the US focused exclusively on cases of children, up to 17 years old, who went to an emergency department during the Christmas week. It stated that ingesting Christmas decorations, including ornaments, bells and candles were common reasons for presenting, especially among the under 2s.
In the UK, the number of children under 15 who were admitted to hospital and required treatment after ingesting a small object increased from 115 in 2011-12 to 228 in 2021-22, according to data from the NHS.
Random chrishaps
And the chrishaps don’t stop there. Earlier this month, a woman in Michigan in the US was hospitalised after she suffered significant burns when her robe caught fire at a church’s Christmas event, according to local news outlet Hometown Life.
The unfortunate incident happened during a live performance of “The Glory of Christmas”. “Someone put a candle in the wrong place,” the fire chief told the news outlet.
Various other hazards of Christmas have included allergic reactions to poinsettias, Christmas trees and candles. In one case, documented by the Canadian Respiratory Journal, a patient had a supposed case of cyanosis - a condition where the skin, lips and nails turn blue - after receiving a blue bed linen as a Christmas gift.
Despite what can go wrong hopefully you will enjoy this joyous time for all the right reasons, free of blunders, unexpected woes and awkward moments.
