It just doesn’t seem right that burglaries spike around the holidays—but it does make a horrible sort of sense. All that gift-giving means that many people have tempting new goodies; and all that travel to see loved ones means that a burglar’s opportunities might seem pretty darn good.

So what can you do to make sure you have a holly jolly robbery-free holiday? Here are a few suggestions.

Keep your yard trimmed. Seriously: trim shrubbery away from the house, so it doesn’t provide crooks with a place to hide. Trim tree branches so they don’t offer a way to climb into second-story windows.

On a related note: put the yard tools away. Don’t leave ladders lying around so bad guys can make use of them to get inside your home. And don’t leave heavy tools outside that can either be stolen—or used to break a window and grab your goodies.

Heading out of town? Tell your neighbors, so they can help keep an eye on your property. Not buddy-buddy with the rest of the block? Take the opportunity the season provides you: walk over with a tray of cookies, a box of candy, or another holiday treat and introduce yourself.

Make use of electronic timers. Use them on lights, televisions, radios—anything that can help make your home look occupied. These timers offer a long of power for a small investment of money and programming time: you can even buy a timer that offers multiple tracks, so you can set the lights to turn on and off at different times for different days of the week.

Got a second car? Leave it parked (and locked!) in your driveway.

Put a stop on your mail and newspaper delivery.

You may want to consider investing in harder-hitting burglar deterrants, such as motion-sensor lights and video cameras—or an alarm system. Barring that, you could put alarm system decals on your windows and a Beware of Dog sign on your gate to make crooks think twice about trying to break in.

This is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year. Make sure that’s exactly what it is for you—and let the burglars be disappointed.

For more than 25 years, Beall Financial and Insurance Services, Inc., has been helping corporations and individuals protect their most important assets. The agency’s client base covers a spectrum of businesses that require specialized insurance packages and knowledge. With offices in California and Indiana, Beall Financial and Insurance Services serves clients nationwide.