We know drinking and driving is a holiday problem. But drinking and decorating can also pose a serious injury hazard.

Scott Barbour/Getty Images
Scott Barbour/Getty Images
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Doctor Robert Sweeney heads up the Emergency Department at Jersey Shore Medical Center. He says, "The issue is, if you're drinking and doing some work inside your house, you're just more likely to injure yourself."

Sweeney says that's especially dangerous if you climb a ladder or handle electrical connections. Robert Wood Johnson Injury Prevention Coordinator Diana Starace says it a matter of statistics.

Starace says, "A greater risk of non-fatal injuries, or a greater risk of dying from injuries, is there is definitely there if you've got alcohol and drugs in the mix."

Another holiday hazard that often winds up in the E-R is mishandling lit candles. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends using flameless candles if you have young children or pets, and placing real candles away from materials that will catch on fire easily. Make sure to extinguish all candles before going to bed at night.

And then there are those who show up hurt in the Emergency Room because they misused a gift because they failed to take the time to read instructions and warnings.

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