Tis the season for shopping, parties, decorating, and travel. With all the joy and merriment, one can lose track of security measures. Holiday safety is just as important as enjoying the season. There are a few ways to help keep your family and home safe this time of the year and in the year to come.

Holiday Safety at Home

Just as you would hide gifts from snooping children, you want to keep them out of sight from potential thieves. Even wrapped gifts under a Christmas tree can tempt someone to break in. Keep all gifts away from windows and out of view from the outside. Since more thieves are on the lookout for big ticket items this year, it’s best to keep all electronics out of sight as well.

If you don’t already have a home security system, now is the time to invest. Not only can you keep an eye on activity inside your home, but you can set up exterior cameras and deter burglars from stealing packages dropped off at your front door. Receive alerts from motion sensors and window or door sensors and know what’s going on at home even if you’re not there.

Holiday Travel Safety

Many families travel this time of year, leaving their homes unattended for any length of time. While it’s exciting to share travel plans online, it’s also exciting to thieves who now know when your house will be empty. It’s safer to keep the details of where, when, and how long your trip is off of social media. This info is easily shared and even easier to use to plan a burglary.

If you are planning to travel, it’s best to notify a trusted neighbor who can notify you of any suspicious activity. A security system can help alert you too, but there are some limitations to what it can do. This neighbor can take in your mail and clear any snow around your home—two tell-tale signs that someone is home, or at least taking care of it—but this is something a surveillance system can’t assist with. Putting lights on a timer also helps make your home look occupied, further deterring thieves.

With gift and grocery lists, there’s enough to think about over the holidays. Cross worrying about your home security off your list by following these simple safety tips and setting up a monitoring system you can use now and into the new year.

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