Celebrating Valentine's Day with Balloons?

TRENTON, N.J., Feb. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Millions of balloons are sold on Valentine's Day to spread love, joy, and lift the spirits of the people we care for the most.  If you plan on giving a huge balloon bouquet, an amazing outdoor display, or a single balloon to say, "I Love You," The Balloon Council would like to remind everyone to #BeBalloonSmart.

"Valentine's Day is the perfect time to raise awareness about the best ways to handle and dispose of balloons properly," said Lorna O'Hara, Executive Director of The Balloon Council (TBC), a non-profit organization made up of responsible retailers, distributors, and manufacturers that are dedicated to educating others about the wonders of balloons and the proper handling of them. 

Whether you are giving the balloons or receiving them, be sure to keep these tips from TBC's national Smart Balloon Practices Campaign in mind:

• Do not release ANY balloons into the air.
• Always keep balloons secured with a string and tied to a weight.
• When finished with the balloons, pop them safety and properly dispose of them.
• Children with balloons should always be monitored. Children under eight (8) years of age can choke or suffocate on uninflated or broken balloons.
• Despite the funny voice helium can give you, it should never be inhaled.

"Balloons enhance joy and fun and create a colorful backdrop for all life celebrations, something that has never been more evident than during the pandemic which has limited parties and family gatherings due to social distancing," said O'Hara. "We all need to do our part and #BeBalloonSmart to ensure that balloons are a part of our celebrations for years to come. Just follow our motto, Don't let go: Inflate. Weight. Enjoy."

The Balloon Council encourages the public to share their balloon filled celebration photos by posting on Facebook www.facebook.com/balloonsliftup, and Instagram www.instagram.com/balloonsliftup, using the hashtag #BeBalloonSmart.  You can take the #BeBalloonSmart pledge here: https://balloonsliftup.com/be-balloon-smart-pledge/#

For more information about Smart Balloon Practices visit https://balloonsliftup.com.

SOURCE The Balloon Council