Holiday Home Security 2026: 12 Tips to Stop Burglars While You’re Away (Burglary Spikes 30% Over Holidays)

How to Keep Your Home Safe During the Holidays: Complete Security Guide (2026)

The holiday season is the most dangerous time for home security. FBI data shows burglaries spike 20–30% between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, package theft costs Americans over $12 billion annually (peaking in December), and homes sit empty during family travel. Dark winter evenings provide cover, expensive gifts accumulate inside, and social media broadcasts exactly when you’re away.

This guide covers everything — whether you’re traveling for the holidays, hosting at home, or just trying to protect those Amazon deliveries piling up on your porch.

Before You Leave: Travel Security Checklist

1. Arm Your Security System (Or Get One)

If you don’t have a security system, the holidays are the worst time to go without one. A DIY security system installs in under an hour — you can have it monitoring before you leave for the airport.

Best systems for holiday travel:

Critical: Enable geofencing so your system automatically arms when you leave. With Abode, you can set CUE automations to arm Away mode, turn off lights, lock doors, and adjust the thermostat — all triggered by your phone leaving the geofence.

2. Set Up Remote Camera Access

Being able to see your home in real-time from anywhere is the single best peace-of-mind upgrade for holiday travel.

Priority camera positions for holidays:

• Front door / porch: Video doorbell — catches package deliveries, visitors, and porch pirates
• Back door: Outdoor camera — most common burglary entry after front door
• Main living area: Indoor camera — catches intruders who get inside
• Driveway/garage: Floodlight cam — vehicle security + approach detection

The Abode Cam 2 ($35) is the most affordable option that integrates with a full security system. See our camera placement guide for optimal positioning.

3. Simulate Occupancy

An empty, dark house is the biggest “nobody home” signal to burglars. The goal is to make your home look lived-in and unpredictable.

Occupancy simulation checklist:

Pro tip: With Abode’s CUE automation, you can create a “Vacation Mode” routine that cycles lights, adjusts thermostat, and activates all sensors — triggered by a single button in the app.

4. Lock Down All Entry Points

Before leaving, do a complete walkthrough:

• ✅ All doors locked — front, back, side, garage entry
• ✅ All windows locked — especially ground floor and basement
• ✅ Garage door closed — use a smart garage controller to verify remotely
• ✅ Sliding doors pinned — security bar in the track
• ✅ Smart locks confirmed locked via app
• ✅ Pet doors secured — lock or cover them

Smart locks with auto-lock eliminate the “did I lock the door?” anxiety entirely. The Schlage Encode Plus even lets you check and lock remotely via Apple Home Key.

5. Don’t Broadcast Your Absence

Social media is a burglar’s reconnaissance tool. A 2023 SafeWise survey found 78% of burglars check social media for travel posts.

• Don’t post: Airport selfies, boarding passes, real-time vacation photos, “headed to Grandma’s for a week!”
• Do post: Vacation photos AFTER you return
• Don’t change: Your voicemail to say you’re traveling
• Do set: An out-of-office reply only for work email (not personal)

6. Prepare for Emergencies

• Water leak sensors: A burst pipe while you’re away can cause $10,000+ in damage. Smart water sensors alert you instantly
• Smart smoke detectors: Get phone alerts for fire/CO — critical when no one’s home to hear a local alarm
• Shut off water: If traveling for more than a few days in winter, consider turning off the main water valve
• Thermostat: Keep heat at 55°F+ minimum to prevent frozen pipes

Package Theft Prevention

December is peak package theft season. An estimated 119 million packages were stolen from American porches in 2023, with the holiday season accounting for the largest share.

7 Ways to Stop Porch Pirates

A video doorbell is the #1 package theft deterrent. The camera is visible, you get instant alerts, and you can speak directly to delivery drivers or confront anyone approaching your packages. Pair it with motion-activated lights for nighttime deterrence.

Staying Home for the Holidays

Not traveling doesn’t mean you’re safe. Holiday parties, shopping trips, and family gatherings still leave your home vulnerable — plus you have fire risks from cooking, candles, and Christmas trees.

Fire Safety Checklist

Smart smoke detectors like the Nest Protect alert your phone even when you’re in another room or asleep. Systems like Abode can integrate monitored smoke/CO sensors that dispatch fire services automatically.

Party and Guest Security

• Temporary smart lock codes: Give guests a PIN code that expires after the party — no keys floating around
• Secure valuables: Move jewelry, cash, important documents to a locked room or safe before hosting
• Coat/purse room: Designate one room and keep the door visible — purse theft at parties is common
• Garage awareness: If guests park in your garage, secure the door to your house

The Complete Holiday Security Checklist

Print this or screenshot it before the holidays:

Holiday Security by Home Type

For renters, all these tips apply — and the best part is that modern DIY systems like Abode require zero drilling and move with you.

Common Questions About Holiday Home Security

How much does holiday home security cost?

A basic setup (security system + 1 camera + smart plug for lights) costs $234–$350 upfront with $0–$20/month for monitoring. Compare this to the average burglary loss of $2,661 — security pays for itself if it prevents a single break-in.

Should I leave my Christmas tree lights on a timer?

Yes — but use LED lights only (they generate less heat). Set a smart plug timer to turn them on at dusk and off at 11 PM. This creates an occupancy illusion AND reduces fire risk. Never leave real candles unattended.

Is it safe to put my house on USPS mail hold?

Yes. USPS Hold Mail service (usps.com) is free for up to 30 days. It’s far safer than letting mail pile up in your mailbox, which is a classic “nobody’s home” signal.

What should I do if I see something on my camera while traveling?

If you have professional monitoring (through Abode, Ring, or SimpliSafe), the monitoring center will dispatch police automatically. If self-monitoring: call local police non-emergency line with your address and describe what you see. Never confront a burglar remotely via two-way audio — let police handle it.

Do I need to tell my alarm company I’m traveling?

Not required, but recommended. Some monitoring companies offer “vacation mode” that puts your account on heightened alert — any activation is treated as higher priority. With Abode, simply keeping your system in Away mode with all sensors active is sufficient.

What’s the best single upgrade for holiday security?

A video doorbell camera. It covers package theft (the #1 holiday crime), captures visitor activity, provides two-way communication, and serves as a visible deterrent. If you can only buy one thing, buy this.

Isabelle Landau

Growing up with Law and Order and CSI shows taught Isabelle Landau one thing: if people back then had high-quality home security systems, those series would have been way shorter. In our modern world, technology helps us keep burglars away easily, and this is what Izzy studies and writes about: alarm systems, home security, protection systems, and more.