Woman Rushed To Hospital After Being Exposed To Live Christmas Tree
An Ohio woman’s Christmas plans had a bit of a wrench thrown into them this year. The woman was looking forward to decorating her first real Christmas tree with her daughter but ended up being rushed to the emergency room instead.
According to a report, Angela Presti from Parma OH, had just picked up her first real Christmas tree from a tree lot. Brought it home and set it up in the house, then started to decorate it. A few hours later she noticed something was not right with her.
Her face was swollen and her cheeks were hot and itchy. She assumed it was due to holiday stress and some other personal ailments and didn’t think anything of it. Eventually, her hands, feet, and tongue all started to swell as well.
Presti was able to call her father who then rushed her to the local hospital ER. She passed out and collapsed in the emergency room where they had to administer epinephrine. Medical staff kept asking her what she had eaten because they could tell it was an allergic reaction. That’s when they figured out it was from the Christmas tree.
Turns out a small percentage of people suffer from a condition called Christmas Tree Syndrome. It’s not technically a reaction to the Christmas tree itself, but to the mold and spores that grow on the tree. This allergy is pretty common, the severity of Presti’s reaction though is rare.
Typical symptoms from this allergy are skin rashes and troubled breathing which are very common this time of the year. Needless to say, it’s probably safe to assume that Angela will be getting artificial trees from here on out.
Now if you’re looking for tips on how to prevent Christmas Tree Syndrom symptoms check out the tips towards the bottom of this link.
7 Festive Games and Activities for a Memorable Holiday Party
Name That Holiday Song
All you need is someone with a phone full of great Christmas songs, ready to play DJ. See who can guess the festive songs first after hearing just a few notes. It’s a laid-back way to enjoy some post-meal fun.
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Never Have I Ever Holiday Edition
Give this timeless game a festive twist by asking questions like, “I’ve never regifted a present,” and find out what secrets your friends and family may be hiding. You can stick to the traditional rules where those who’ve committed the act take a sip of their beverage, or you can opt for a point-based system, with the winner receiving a holiday surprise as their reward.
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Present Stacking
Here’s a game that allows you to unleash your creativity. Wrap a selection of uniquely shaped objects, and the challenge is to see who can build the tallest stack of presents. Using fragile items in this game should be avoided for obvious reasons.
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Christmas Carol Challenge
Here’s a straightforward, no-fuss game that’s perfect a cozy home get-together or an office party. Gather everyone in a circle, and the game begins with one person singing a line from a holiday song. The person to their right then must continue with the next line of the song, and so on. You can choose from timeless classics like Jingle Bells or opt for a more contemporary holiday hit like Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas is You. While you might know the opening lines of these songs, it becomes quite a challenge as the game progresses.
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Best/Worst Gift
Distribute four slips of paper to each participant. Every guest is tasked with jotting down two positive Christmas gifts and two negative ones: one from their real experiences and one fabricated. Collect all the slips in a container and let the group take turns guessing which presents were genuinely given and which were made up.
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Saran Wrap Ball Game
Make a big plastic wrap ball stuffed with little gifts like mini liquor bottles, gift cards, candy, and cash. One person starts by unwrapping it, while someone else takes the dice and tries to roll doubles. The twist is that you can’t stop unwrapping until your neighbor rolls those elusive doubles, so the pressure’s on to keep the ball moving. Players get to keep all the goodies they uncover during their turn, so everyone’s in for some prizes. You can make it more challenging by requiring the person unwrapping to wear oven mitts.
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Celebrity
Here’s a fun party game you can enjoy with friends or family anytime, anywhere. You split into two teams, and each player writes down 5 celebrity names on pieces of paper. You take turns being the clue-giver. In round one, the clue-giver describes the celebrity without saying their name or nickname, and the team guesses. In round two, you can only use one word as a clue. Round three is like Charades, where you act out the celebrity without speaking. Keep score to see which team guesses the most celebrities correctly. It’s a great game for any gathering.
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