MISHAWAKA — Recent winter weather certainly helps put everyone in the holiday spirit. But one part of winter cheer can also be very dangerous — hanging Christmas lights.

A 42-year-old man from Trafalgar, IN near Indianapolis was electrocuted when his aluminum ladder made contact with power lines while he was stringing Christmas lights on a tree outside his home.

The familiar holiday story of trying to "rig up the lights," was alive and well in Mishawaka Sunday afternoon.

"We spent about an hour untangling lights," explained Mark McGill. "And then half didn't work."

On top of trying to hold his two-year Best of Show award in the Winding Brook neighborhood, McGill said safety is always a priority.

"We have a surge protector in the house. We put one in for this very reason. We put all the lights in surge protectors," he said.

Each year, holiday decorations cause an estimated 2,000 fires and $41 million in property damage, according to Indiana Michigan Power.

Experts say before you climb that ladder or plug in your lights, you should check every strand to see if there are any frayed wires, loose sockets or anything wrong with them in general. If there are any problems, throw them away.

Also, buy lights that conform with safety standards. They will say UL or ETL on the box. And while you're hanging them, you should be aware of your surroundings.

"It's not enough to think about what you might accidentally touch but you also need to think about the tools you're using — any ladders, extension poles, anything that can touch that line can ultimately affect you if it comes in contact with the power line," said Midwest Energy Cooperative spokeswoman Patty Nowlin.

If you're putting Christmas lights and decorations outside, Nowlin says it is very important to plug them into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interrupters or GFCI's. You can buy those at any hardware store.

When it comes to choosing lights, the newer LED lights don't get as hot as regular bulbs do. They're also much more energy efficient.

Also, make sure you check the box to see if lights are labeled "indoor," "outdoor" or both.

Plus, don't connect more than three strands of lights together, don't overload extension cords and don't leave Christmas lights on when you're not home or awake to monitor them.

"That's just exposing your home and your family to unnecessary safety hazards," Nowlin explained.

The Clark Griswold's in our area, like Mike McGill, know staying safe doesn't have to take away from holiday cheer.

"My goal is to have a small plane land in the yard someday because we have so many lights that they mistake us for the airport," Mike McGill said.