Dr Derek Sage says the holiday period is a busy time for the emergency department at Tauranga Hospital. PHOTO/GEORGE NOVAK
Whether it was a case of backflips gone wrong on the new trampoline, nasty kitchen injuries from whipping up Christmas dinner or even jewellery getting snagged.
December is a month of sharing the festive spirit but it has also proved dangerous for many Bay of Plenty residents - and expensive for the country.
Figures from ACC showed more than $4.1 million worth of claims were made in Tauranga last December after 6090 claims were lodged.
In the whole Bay of Plenty region, 11,925 claims were lodged in the same time frame, costing more than $8.5m.
It seems Christmas Day itself can be dangerous.
On December 25 last year, 138 people in Tauranga made claims to ACC after injuring themselves and 286 in the Bay of Plenty.
ACC spokesperson James Funnell said the most common types of injuries were suffered in motor vehicle accidents, by lifting something heavy, playing sport or leisure activities.
"There were a couple of nasty kitchen injuries, a case of jewellery getting snagged, a nasty insect bite, and inevitably for your part of the country, some jetski injuries too."
However, these figures were lower than previous years when in December 2014 nearly 12,000 claims were made to ACC from the Bay of Plenty, costing more than $14m.
Tauranga Hospital emergency department clinical lead Dr Derek Sage said Boxing Day was always busy and Christmas Day was irregular.
"Christmas Day can be a bit variable as to how busy it gets but as this year comes after a weekend we're anticipating that it will be a busy one."
Sage said Boxing Day could be busier as people might put off or try to ignore medical issues on Christmas Day until it becomes more serious.
He said holidaymakers bumped up the number of people visiting the emergency department over the holidays.
"There are quite a lot of presentations related to over-indulgence be that in drink or food and then often combined with an over-estimation of one's abilities.
"A couple of years ago we had someone who was trying out his child's skateboard on a newly-built skatepark and that ended in a visit to the emergency department. So it's that type of thing when the usual rules tend to go out the window."
One person who knows just how dangerous this time of year can be was Tim Smith, Labour MP Tamati Coffey's partner.
Smith was reaching high on the Christmas tree on December 17, when he fell.
"Instead of going to get a chair he actually just climbed on to the corner of the couch and lifted himself up, forgetting the fact we have a ceiling fan that was going full tilt because it was a really hot day here," Coffey said.
The fan knocked Smith in the back of his head and he went crashing to the ground and landed on his elbow.
"This is what happens when you hang Christmas decorations on the high part of the Christmas tree and get knocked out by the ceiling fan and fall on your elbow," Coffey said on Facebook with a picture he posted.
"Zoom in on [the] elbow for extra effect. Merry Christmas."
ACC's tips to keep safe this Christmas
Christmas at home
•Use a stepladder to hang decorations, not a chair … or worse still, a chair on a table.
•Check that Christmas lights are in good working condition … before you hang them up
•If you're putting lights up outside, make sure you use a residual current device (RCD).
•Ensure your Christmas tree has a sturdy base to stop it toppling over
•If your tree has lights, run the power cord to it along the wall, not across the floor
•Remember some guests may be unfamiliar with your house, so:
-Reduce trip hazards by removing loose rugs, small items of furniture, toys, and mattresses, etc.
-The kitchen is always busy – keep cupboard doors closed.
-Wipe up spills as soon as they happen.
-Point out hazards that you may be familiar with, but which could trip up visitors, such as single steps between rooms.
-Make sure visitors know where the light switches are if they get up in the night, or leave a hall light on for them.
-Keep pets out from under people's feet – every year a significant number are injured tripping over cats and dogs.
If you're drinking alcohol
•Remember: The more you drink, the greater the risk of injury.
•Set a limit on your drinking and stick to it.
•Eat substantial food, and pace yourself with water or other non-alcoholic drinks.
•Look after your mates.
Keeping active
•Warm up and cool down before and after physical activity.
•If returning to activity after a break, gradually build up your activity levels.
•Keep well hydrated.
DIY
•Be realistic about your ability – if you can't do it, get an expert.
•Use a safe, stable ladder – always keep three points of contact (both feet and one hand); don't over-reach sideways.
•Make sure you know how to use hire equipment.
•Wear appropriate protection, such as closed shoes, ear muffs, safety glasses and face masks, as necessary.
•Plan your day so you're not rushing to get finished in the evening when you're tired and more likely to slip up.