Holiday Safety Tips for Toys, Gifts Emphasized by Federal Regulators

As the holidays approach, consumers are being advised to watch for unsafe or counterfeit products that may not meet U.S. safety standards.

Federal regulators are reminding consumers to choose safe gifts this holiday season by shopping at trusted stores and reputable online retailers, which can help reduce serious risks that may be linked to certain counterfeit or unauthorized products.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) released safe holiday shopping recommendations on December 9, cautioning that dangerous or defective products may be sold through unverified third-party websites, which often fail to meet U.S. safety standards, may originate overseas, and have been linked to serious injuries and, in some cases, fatal outcomes.

More than 230,000 children were injured by toys last year, including at least 10 fatal cases. Just two years earlier, emergency rooms treated more than 209,000 children for toy-related injuries, with 11 reported deaths.

Consumer watchdog groups also identified some of the highest-risk toys in 2024 as realistic-looking weapons and similar products that can pose serious eye injury and ingestion hazards. In light of these kinds of risks, regulators are urging consumers to use extra caution when shopping online during the holiday season.

The CPSC is urging consumers to shop with retailers they know and trust, and to be cautious of online deals that seem unusually cheap or too good to be true. When purchasing secondhand items online, consumers should check for any recalls at CPSC.gov/recalls before completing the purchase.

In particular, regulators recommend consumers take the following precautions when purchasing toys and other gifts:

• Follow the age guidance and other safety information on the packaging
• Check for potential choking hazards
• Provide appropriate safety gear such as helmets
• Keep balls and small toy parts out of reach of young children
• Dispose of plastic wrapping and other packaging materials immediately after gifts are opened

“American families can keep their celebrations joyful and safe by shopping at trusted retailers, staying current on recalls and using holiday decorations properly.” 

— Peter A. Feldman, CPSC Acting Chairman 

The CPSC is also reminding consumers that holiday decorations can pose safety risks. As a result, it is urging homeowners and other individuals to:

• Refrain from overloading electrical outlets
• Look for fire resistant labels on artificial trees
• Keep live trees well watered
• Never leave candles unattended or near anything flammable
• Avoid stringing more than three sets of incandescent lights together

Holiday Retailer Concerns

While consumers are encouraged to take steps to shop safely, multiple studies and enforcement actions suggest that greater accountability from major retailers is also necessary to reduce holiday-related risks.

Federal regulators began requiring Amazon to initiate recalls and notify customers about hazardous products sold on its platform in January 2025. However, Amazon filed a challenge to the ruling just a few months later, arguing it should not be held responsible.

Additionally, Home Depot sold thousands of recalled products to consumers and third party sellers in 2015, even after learning the items posed serious safety risks.

This ongoing gap in product safety enforcement across major online retailers has allowed unsafe products to slip through regulatory systems, underscoring the need for stronger protections to keep consumers safe.

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