Does this freak you out?? Every single box by every maker I picked up had lead warnings. How safe are these things?? My kids handle the lights and the lights get dragged alllll over the floor/carpet as you untangle and string them. And then they sit there for over a month getting dusty and hot...and probably leaching lead! Does anyone know how large or small the lead content and the danger is??

By Dawnk777 on Sunday, November 26, 2006 - 04:05 pm:

I have no idea, but we handle the lights every year and no one seems to have ill effects, here.

It's probably not a bad idea to wash your hands when you are done, though, like the boxes say. Don't you think the lights have always had lead, but they're just not telling us about it?

By Ginny~moderator on Sunday, November 26, 2006 - 06:41 pm:

Here's a link to a website talking about this:
Lead in Lights Be aware that this is a site for selling "healthy" products, but the article itself seems accurate. I also clicked on the links to news articles about this issue, and they say pretty much the same. They explain why there is lead in the wire wrapping.

One thing is said consistently - when you buy Christmas tree lights, buy lights made in the USA. Other countries, especially China - which is the source of much of our Christmas decorations - don't have the same rules we have and the lead content is undoubtedly higher.

All the articles also point out that artificial Christmas trees are also made of pvc, the plastic that contains lead, and can also be a hazard.

By Crystal915 on Sunday, November 26, 2006 - 07:04 pm:

i had no idea that there was lead in the lights!! Good to know, I'll be sure to wash my hands after putting them up, and not let the kids touch them.

By Bellajoe on Sunday, November 26, 2006 - 07:09 pm:

I have never heard that there are lead in lights. But we have been putting them up forever, and we are still alive. I'm not one to worry about every little thing that I read, i figure people have been putting up Christmas lights for years and I'm not about to stop now.

Washing our hands after handling them is a good idea though.I do that anyway, since they have been in the basement all year and hve gotten dusty and dirty.

By Reds9298 on Sunday, November 26, 2006 - 08:37 pm:

I just saw this when I was buying a 3-way outlet for our outdoor Christmas lights. There was a specific warning on the outside that said "contains lead - wash hands thoroughly after handling". I had no idea either!!

By Ginny~moderator on Sunday, November 26, 2006 - 08:45 pm:

You know about it now because of Proposition 65, a California proposition approved by the voters, which requires strict labeling for all kinds of chemicals which are potentially dangerous, and to the Mateel Foundation, which sued the manufacturers and distributors of Christmas tree lights and other PVC products so that they are now labeled. I agree that we (my family and I) handled them for years and never thought anything about it, but now that I know, I will be telling the parents of my beautiful granddaughter so that they take appropriate precautions. I know they'll have lights, but I think they'll be more careful handling them.