These Tips Will Help You Stay Safe During the Holidays

The Christmas season is a time for cheer and merriment with all of your loved ones, but a fire or other disaster can quickly turn your holiday dreams into nightmares. Luckily, following some simple safety and security tips can help to greatly reduce your chances of ending the year on a bad note. Keep reading to learn about how you can stay safe during the holidays!

Only you can prevent house fires

No other issue compares to the potential damage of a house fire. Here are some of the best practices which you can follow to reduce your chances of having one over the holidays:

• Never leave the stove or oven unattended while cooking.
• Never leave lit candles unattended.
• Make sure that all of your smoke alarms have functional batteries.
• Don't string together a large amount of Christmas lights on one extension cord.
• Unplug or turn off all of your lit decorations (tree lights, house lights, displays, etc.) whenever you leave the house or go to bed.

Use the internet to your advantage

• Track packages online so that you know when they are out for delivery. This will help minimize the time they spend sitting outside as targets for thieves.
• When shopping online, only give your information to well-known retailers and never click on unknown or mysterious email links.
• Install an internet-connected security camera or video doorbell to help monitor your home while you're away.
• Don't post vacation plans on social media ahead of time or while you're away. This can let thieves know when your house is unoccupied. Instead, wait until you return to put up photos.

Keep thieves guessing:

• Burn or rip up expensive gift packaging, rather than simply throwing it away. Thieves will make note of that huge, brand-new TV box sitting at the curb.
• If you go on an overnight trip, place a couple of house lights on timers to make it seem like the house is still occupied. Also, ask a friend or trusted neighbor to stop by the house while you're away.

These are some of the best ways to keep your house and information safe during the hustle and bustle of the holidays! For even more tips, check out this article from Realtor Magazine.