ACC and St John warn against Christmas-related injuries

It's the most wonderful time of the year - except, for some, Christmas brings a few hazards that have led to injury claims.

ACC has released its list of the most common festive mishaps, from falling trees to misfiring corks.

Its chief customer officer, Emma Powell, says with the Christmas rush comes lots of accidents.

"People are under pressure, there's a lot of activity and excitement going on the day, and people kind of lose themselves a little."

Last year 4000 New Zealanders were injured on Christmas Day alone - racking up $3.6 million in ACC claims.

Most of those are the standard slips, trips, and falls - but some are uniquely festive.

Lisa Buckingham is the south Auckland St John manager, and says injuries range from food to present-related.

"Adults on children's toys, so on scooters or on the trampolines, trying to do the things they could do when they were a bit younger! Cutting themselves cutting the ham."

Last year 132 people suffered Christmas tree injuries from shoddy fastening, getting tangled up in the lights, or risky decorating.

Ms Powell said tree injuries are often to do with people reaching up high, "perhaps on a step ladder, or perhaps using - not a step-ladder - but some other device, reaching up high and the trees falling on people".

There have been a few "cork assaults human" incidents too.

"The wine cork, which can actually build up a lot of pressure when it's coming out of the bottle, flings around the room and actually comes into contact with a human body," said Ms Powell.

But the biggest risk this time off year seems to be on the roads and St John's Ambulance is asking Kiwis to take care so they don't become another statistic.

"Everybody seems to be in a hurry to get somewhere, so we're just asking people to have some patience. Getting angry in the car, making silly decisions isn't going to get you there any quicker," says Ms Buckingham.

The message from both ACC and St John is to ease up on the drink - even if your uncle's been ranting on for the last half-hour.

Newshub.