Friend of Mom•Logic Safety Dad offers pointers on keeping your little ones safe on New Year's Eve.

As we celebrate New Year's Eve and look forward to a great 2008, we can't forget that danger never takes a holiday, especially with small kids around. Unfortunately, New Year's Eve usually involves alcohol, fireworks and other related dangers. Safety Dad's resolution is to bring you and your family into 2008 with nothing but good tidings (and no trips to the emergency room). Plan ahead, and your New Year's can be danger-free.... here are Safety Dad's Tips for a Safe New Year's Eve:

• Even the smallest amount of alcohol can have catastrophic consequences for a child. Because most holiday cocktails are colorful and look like juice, most kids are naturally attracted to them. Warn your guests to never leave glasses of alcohol lying around for your child to pick up and sample. (As an extra precaution, leave little reminder notes or Post-Its on low-lying tables to warn against leaving stray drinks around.) Always keep bottles of alcohol out of kids' reach. And never give your kids a sip 'just to see what it tastes like'—no matter what.

• Having a party? Candies, nuts, and popcorn pose a serious choking hazard, so keep them out of reach of young children.

• Confetti can be fun for everyone, but make sure yours isn't American Greetings DesignWare® Confetti Bursts that was recalled on 11/29/07. The surface paint on the individual bags of confetti contains excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard. (Tip: Kids love making their own confetti with safety scissors construction paper—and this should keep them busy for at least a half hour.)

• Fireworks are a New Year's tradition for many families. Unfortunately, injuries from fireworks are another tradition that often seems to follow when kids are allowed to play with fireworks. Never let a child handle or light a firework or sparkler. Sparklers may seem harmless, but they can reach over 1000°F and cause half of the fireworks-related injuries to children under age five. Glow sticks, necklaces and wands are a safe, kid-friendly alternative to fireworks—and just as festive.

Here's to a happy and safe New Year!