I’m allergic to Christmas – I’ve been hospitalised five years in a row

I thought it was a coincidence that I kept having asthma attacks over the festive period – until my consultant realised what was triggering them

For most families, putting up the decorations and tree in the run-up to Christmas is all part of the exciting build-up to the big day. But for someone like me, the beginning of the festive season can be the most dangerous time of year. A few bits of tinsel and a decorative garland might seem harmless, yet it could very well mean that I spend 25 December in a hospital bed instead of unwrapping presents in the morning with my family.

I suffer from severe asthma, and Christmas trees and decorations are among my triggers. I only need to be exposed to a real tree for a few hours and I can end up having a potentially life-threatening asthma attack. It’s frightening when it happens, not only for me but particularly for my daughters Connie, seven, and Sophie, nine. The last thing they want to see at their favourite time of year is their mum being rushed off to hospital fighting for breath with an oxygen mask strapped to her face.

As a child, I often had asthma attacks around Christmas time. It wasn’t long before my parents realised it was the real Christmas tree they were putting up each year that was causing it. I was allergic to the mould and pollen spores on it.

They switched to using an artificial tree and because I was usually in bed when they put it up, and the number of asthma attacks I had been having dropped, I assumed that when it came to putting up my own artificial tree, I’d be fine. What I wasn’t aware of was that the dust that can accumulate on fake trees and other decorations like baubles and tinsel, could be a trigger too.

It was 19 December 2014 when I had another asthma attack, and had to be rushed to hospital and put on a ventilator. It was a terrifying experience. Although I’d tried to get my breathing under control at home using my inhaler, I couldn’t. No matter how many attacks like this you go through as a person with asthma, it’s just as frightening every time.

I’d put it down to the stress of getting everything ready for Christmas and rushing around too much. But then the following year, it happened again at around the same time. At one point, I ended up in hospital with an asthma attack five years in a row around Christmas. In 2019, I was even in hospital on Christmas Eve because I was so sick and wasn’t even sure I’d be discharged in time to return home the next morning.

I was baffled. These attacks seemed to happen either on or close to 19 December every year and I couldn’t figure out why. It was only when my consultant asked me about my Christmas decorations, and in particular, my artificial Christmas tree, that the penny dropped. He explained that while artificial trees could be a good alternative to real ones for those with allergies, the dust that accumulated on them – and other decorations – could trigger asthma attacks too. Not only while they were kept in storage, but in the weeks they were up too. It made sense.

The following year, my husband Malcolm put our tree up a couple of days before Christmas Day, making sure he shook it out in the garden first and that I wasn’t in the living room when he constructed it. He also wiped down all of the baubles and we got rid of the tinsel as it wasn’t possible to clean properly. I discovered I was also allergic to pinecones too, so we put our usual garland outside the front door instead of above the fireplace and I was careful not to touch it on my way in.

There are so many other things I have to be careful of too – such as making sure any gifts that come into the house aren’t from a home where there are pets as animal dander can also trigger my asthma. Of course, I could play it completely safe and have no tree or decorations up at all, but it wouldn’t be fair on the girls, who both love Christmas. And despite my condition, I do too.

So now we just keep decorations to a minimum, keep them up for a few days only, and make sure to pack them away in airtight containers properly each year. Thankfully, it’s worked so far. Having asthma doesn’t mean you have to cancel Christmas, or that you can’t enjoy it. It’s just that you might have to make a few adjustments to ensure you stay safe and well ahead of the big day.

For more information on how to stay well this Christmas, Asthma + Lung UK has advice on their website. If your lung condition or symptoms are worrying you and you need to talk to somebody, you can give Asthma + Lung UK’s Helpline team a call on 0300 222 5800 (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm)