For many, there's nothing more cozy than laying next to your fireplace and putting the finishing touches on your Christmas tree.
But local fire crews say one mistake could have your home in flames.
Numbers from last year show Yakima fire crews dealt with more house fires during the holidays than in the summer time. From April through June of 2017, Yakima fire crews responded to 15 house fires. During the holidays last year, starting from Halloween through the end of December, they handled 22 house fires.
During this time of year, Yakima fire crews say more people stay inside and usually end up being there during a time of a fire, which they say leads to a higher risk of people dying.
Parker Hanson and Zack Andrilenas over at the East Valley Fire Department have both been firefighters for five years, and say when they respond to fire emergencies in the winter, they see they same mistakes happen. A big one being chimney fires.