Christmas is a magical and beautiful time of the year. For the children, they can enjoy the lights, decorations and celebrations. But sometimes, bad habits can cause unfortunate events like loss of property and accidents. Here are six good habits that can protect you and your family during the holidays. 

1. Insure Your Family and Home

Make sure your home insurance coverage is up to date.  Our home is our single largest investment, so we should protect it. It is also wise to insure you and your family as the unexpected can occur. You do not want to deal with the debt or expenses of health costs or in the worse case scenario, death in the family.

2. Be Safe Online 

 Avoid shopping online using public Wi-Fi.  Public Wi-Fi is convenient, but extremely   vulnerable to cyber criminals.   If you are shopping online, ensure the website is secure.  Be wary of suspicious offers online.  If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!  Beware of phishing email asking for you to verify your detail, especially when it comes to your Credit Card details.  Thieves know that we shop online quite a lot at this time of year.  Be sure to review your security settings regularly, changing passwords to accounts tied to a Credit or Debit Cards often.

3. Don’t Post Travel Plans on Social Media

If you are traveling, keep your plans off Social Media.  You never know who may see your post and know that you are away and take the opportunity to break into your home.

4. Never Advertise Your Home Contents To Burglars

When you make a purchase of a large screen TV or similar gadget, don’t just place the box at the side of the road by the garbage can.  This can alert would be thieves to the goodies inside.  Crush, Shred or fold up the box and place in an opaque bag.

5. Practice Energy Efficiency and Good Fire Safety 

Pay special attention when hanging Christmas lights.  Be sure to never overload circuits and use only outdoor lights outside.  Turn off lights when going out or to bed. If you choose a live Christmas tree, be sure to turn off the lights before your water your tree.  The fresher your tree is the more resistant to fire it will be.  When baking your Christmas ham, set multiple alarms to remind you when it should be finished.  Falling asleep could not only ruin your ham, it can cause a housefire.

6. Drive With Care

Remember don’t drive after consuming alcohol and don’t call or text people when you are driving. Distracted driving is a key reason for accidents.  If you are attending a Christmas event, a great way to save gas and stay safe is to carpool.  It also reduces the traffic on the road and you can have someone with you as you drive home.