Nature Coast Times

• Though many people suffer from allergies year-round, the holiday season can be especially triggering.
• Christmas trees, wreaths and other decorations can collect mold and dust.
• The scent of pine from a fresh tree can worsen allergy and asthma symptoms.

Dr. Mariah Pate of Tampa Bay Breathe Free Allergy & Sinus Centers told Nature Coast Times that people who are exposed to allergens might experience a variety of symptoms as their body tries to fight off the allergen.   

"Allergies work on the sinuses in a couple of different ways," Pate said. "Obviously, any time you're outside and you breathe in pollen, those particles get into the nasal cavity and into the sinuses and cause inflammation. Then the body forms the local reaction. The allergens also can cause an allergic reaction for some people, where the immune system tries to fight off the allergen, causing a release of histamine. [This] leads to a runny nose to flush everything out [and] congestion to allow the blood to go in and try to attack the allergen.”

According to WebMD, more than 40 million Americans have allergies all year. These can be exacerbated during the holiday season, as evergreen trees, wreaths and other decorations can attract mold. Artificial decorations may alleviate this problem, but they need to be stored in a dry container -- otherwise they could form mold as well. Decorations can also collect dust, setting off allergy and asthma symptoms.

The pine scent of Christmas trees and other decorations also can be an allergy and asthma trigger, according to GoodRx. Terpene is a chemical present in the sap of pine trees, which can cause irritation to the nose, eyes and skin. Some Christmas trees are decorated with fake snow, or “flocking,” which can trigger allergy symptoms as they release particles into the air.

Pests like mice, cockroaches and spiders can also find dark, damp locations like basements and garages and leave droppings. These droppings might be found in the containers in which you store your holiday decorations, and in turn, these can cause allergy symptoms as well.

If you'd like more information on allergy testing and treatment options, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.