Pests in Christmas Decorations?
Yes. There are pests in your stored (and maybe fresh) Christmas decorations. A huge part of keeping your home pest free is never letting the pests get into your home. The squirrel scene from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation never gets old, and it’s a perfect example of how a pest can hitchhike into your home. Maybe it’s a little dramatic for comedy’s sake, but there are plenty of simple ways for pests to come into your home. The easiest is the boxes of Christmas decorations!
Blame it on the kindergarten teacher!
As you unpack those precious ornaments your children made long ago, do you notice they have been nibbled on? Maybe your ice cream cone Rudolph is missing his cinnamon candy nose this year…that’s because pests have been feasting for the past 11 months on your decor. Pests enjoy the edible ornaments children make every year. Candy cane reindeer, candy covered snowmen, and even some ornaments that we might not consider to be edible, pests do!
It’s not just the ornaments…
The packaging for your Christmas decor can prevent or promote pest invasion. Cardboard boxes are not an option, invest in air tight plastic containers. As you lug those boxes to and from your attic, basement or storage rooms, consider how mice, roaches, termites and more can get in the box. It’s not hard to get into a cardboard box if you are a pest. When you bring that box into your house, you are bringing ALL of the contents into your house.
Squirrel!!!
In that infamous scene, Chevy Chase is attacked by the squirrel living in his tree. It could happen. It could also be prevented. When you bring any living things into your home, even a simple potted plan, you are risking bringing “other” living things inside. A simple shake out or inspection will be that ounce of prevention we are always talking about. Now, let’s talk about the day AFTER Christmas.
That’s a wrap.
Whether you take your Christmas decorations down the day of (I had a neighbor who did just that) or you choose to wait until Valentine’s (guilty) or later (guilty, again) putting away day is as important as decorating day. If you have an artificial tree, wrap it up tightly in plastic. In this video, learn to wrap up tree, lights, ornaments and all in one quick wrap. If you have hung artificial wreaths or garlands outside, shake them out and wrap them just as tightly. At the very least, store them in an air tight plastic tub until next year.
It’s never too late.
You may have already put your tree up and hung the edible ornaments. You may have noticed the little missing pieces and the droppings in the boxes as you unpacked your decorations. You can redeem yourself when you put them away. Remember what Maya Angelou said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
Now you know better.
Maya Angelou wasn’t talking about pest control when she said that, but it applies to most everything in life, right? Whether you are about to hang the lights or are already tired of your Christmas decor, keeping pests away is important. Starting with a basement, attic, storage room and home that are already pest free helps keep pests away year round is something we can help control.
Being careful about what you bring into your home at the holidays is something only you can control. Let Lawn and Pest Solutions in New Albany, MS help you prevent pests year round. We have licensed technicians who are trained to thoroughly inspect your home and treat them for your specific needs. We service Memphis, TN and all over North Mississippi and would be glad to provide pest services for inside and outside of your home. Contact us here to begin your pest free holidays.
