Mike Green, president of the Alabama Association of Volunteer Fire Departments, shares the following safety rules for your Christmas tree and home:

• When picking out the tree, choose one with fresh, green needles that do not fall off when touched.

• Before placing the tree in the stand, cut two inches from the base of the trunk. Make sure the tree is at least three feet away from any heat source, like fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents or lights. Make sure the tree is not blocking an exit. Add water to the tree stand. Be sure to add water daily.

• When lighting the tree, use lights that have the label of a recognized testing laboratory. Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use. Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections. Connect no more than three strands of mini-string sets and a maximum of 50 bulbs for screw-in bulbs. Read manufacturer’s instructions for number of LED strands to connect. Never use lit candles to decorate the tree. Always turn off Christmas tree lights before leaving home or going to bed.

After Christmas rules are listed as follows:

• Get rid of the tree after Christmas or when it is dry. Dried-out trees are a fire danger and should not be left in the home or garage or placed outside against the home. Check with your local community to find a recycling program.

• Bring outdoor electrical lights inside after the holidays to prevent hazards and make them last longer.

One of every three home Christmas tree fires is caused by electrical failures. Although Christmas tree fires are not common, when they do occur, they are more likely to be serious. A heat source too close to the tree causes roughly one in every six of the fires. Please remember, as you deck the halls this holiday season, be fire smart. A small fire that spreads to a Christmas tree can grow large very quickly.

I wish all of Hartselle Enquirer readers a safe and merry Christmas and a wonderful, happy New Year!

Johnson’s Chapel United Methodist Women sponsor a churchwide Christmas supper each December. This year the event was at the Crossroads Restaurant in Danville Sat., Dec. 6. Marla Marshall is president of the United Methodist Women. Brother Forrest Long is pastor.

On Sun., Dec. 7, Friendship Baptist Church had their holiday lunch after the church service at 11 a.m. At the meal, donations were taken for local needs. Brother Don Gentry is their minister.

Cynthia and Kevin Smithson Weldon, serving as missionaries to Nepal in Asia, spoke at the morning worship service at Corinth West Baptist Church Sun., Dec. 7.

Cynthia and Kevin are sponsored by their home church, Alma Baptist, in Georgia. They are from the Valdosta area. Kevin is the son of the late Ronnie Smithson of the Corinth community.

Belated happy birthday wishes go out this week to Diann Alexander and Jeremy Lacy on Dec. 1, Greg Roden and  “Tut” McCaghren on Dec. 2, Sandra Roden on Dec. 4, Karen Callahan and Eric Vest on Dec. 5, Betty Boyd on Dec. 6, Heather Roden, Rachel Terry and Brad Pevahouse on Dec. 7, Virgil Vest and Helen Hardwick Allen on Dec. 8.

Happy birthday wishes also go out this week to Pat Franklin on Dec. 10, Sadie Long, Waymon Alexander and Dale Burch, all on Dec. 11, Edith Parker, Gary Vest and Austin Clemons, all on Dec. 12, Peggy Holloway on Dec. 13 and Joe Logan and Charlotte Evans Wise, both on Dec. 14.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Sonja Holladay of Danville this week as she has completed a round of chemo and is doing well so far.

Christian love and heartfelt sympathy go out this week to the family of Perry Adcock. Perry was a long-time resident of Salem community and a Morgan County High School graduate.

He was an outstanding musician, artist and landscape and flower garden expert. His parents were the late Cecil Adcock from Falkville and Eleanor Anders Adcock from Evergreen community. Perry’s burial was at Salem United Methodist Church Cemetery Dec. 1.

Shady Grove Baptist Church’s 125th anniversary cookbooks are now available at the church, Charlie’s Place and Punkin Center Farm and Home Store. The cookbooks are $10 each.

Members of Shady Grove Baptist Church held a fellowship supper Wed., Dec. 3, at 6 p.m. This was a fundraiser event to raise money to buy gifts for a child on the Angel Tree. The Wednesday Bible study class was led by Jada Callahan. Rachel Terry provided the food.

Enon Baptist Church’s congregation would like to extend their appreciation to the community and area for their help and attendance at their November projects and fundraisers. This was their annual effort to obtain funds for missions.

Corinth West Methodist Church will have their Christmas dinner Sun., Dec. 14, following the morning worship service. The Christmas pageant will be Sun., Dec. 21.

More details will be announced later. Brother Wayne Jetone is the pastor.

New Life-God’s Church on West Lacon Road had their second Sunday night community singing Dec. 14. Their song director is Linda Huskey.

Other singers include Craig Hardin, Herman Hardin, Jerry Haynes, Charles Howse, Jeannie Alexander and the pastor, Brother Phillip Hardin. Many others also participated in the singing.

Peggy Penn Rogers of Johnson’s Chapel and Spanish Fort is doing well with various treatments and water aerobics. She spent Thanksgiving with her daughter, Pam Chaffin, her husband Doug and daughter Evie in Spanish Fort. Peggy is glad to hear from friends and relatives in the Danville and Massey areas.