As the holiday season approaches, families across New York and Long Island begin to decorate their homes with festive Christmas lights. The sight of twinkling lights can bring joy and warmth, but for parents handling holiday decorations, there’s a hidden danger that often goes unnoticed: lead poisoning.
While many people are aware of the dangers of lead exposure in toys or paints, few realize that Christmas lights also pose a risk to children, even if they are not directly touched by the lights themselves. The risk comes from a surprising source: lead can linger on the lights’ surface. When parents or caregivers handle these lights and then touch their children without properly washing their hands, the lead can be transmitted through direct skin contact—a process known as transdermal absorption.