Preparing your church for Christmas

Completing some general housekeeping ahead of the festive season should help the festivities run smoothly.

At Christmas, many churches hold special services, events and concerts. Larger events can present some significant risks, so it is a good idea to consider any additional precautions you might need to take to ensure people remain safe.

You should start by considering the type of event, the number of attendees, and whether you have the plans in place to manage the event. Find out more about planning events and read tips from our experts.

Complete a calendar of events so you have a complete view of all your festive activities and services. This will help you stay on top of your plans.

Extra lights, candles and Christmas trees can all make your church look wonderfully festive, but can also increase the risk of fire. We recommend reviewing your fire risk assessment ahead of the festive season, as well as making sure to follow our advice on Christmas lights, candles and trees.

Find out more about fire safety considerations and download our fire risk assessment form.

Christmas lights can look lovely in your church, but take care when putting them up to ensure they are strung up securely and check that power leads are not a trip hazard. You should also regularly examine the lights, and check they are safe. For further information read our electrical wiring guidance.

Putting up Christmas lights can also often mean working at height. Make sure you stay safe by reading our working at height guidance.

Christmas trees are a wonderful addition to any Christmas scene but they introduce additional hazards. Ensure they are located away from candles and other flammable items. You should also make sure that the tree doesn’t impede any exit routes from the building, this should be considered as part of your fire risk assessment. Make sure trees are adequately secured to avoid them falling over.

Candles can form a very important part of worship at this time of year. However, they can also be the cause of major fires, so make sure you take precautions with candles in your church. Find out more about using candles safely.

Preparing your church for the celebrations may mean putting up lights or other decorations.

See our working at height information for plenty of tips on ensuring those helping this way are kept safe.

Slips and trips are the most common causes of injury in churches. Keep your visitors safe by maintaining footpaths and steps during wintry weather. Read our slips, trips and falls guidance for more tips on how to help protect people at your church.