When your home is alone...a few take aways from a classic Christmas movie...

In my last post, I discussed three of my most favorite classic (and funny) Christmas movies. To be honest (and most people think I'm crazy), my most favorite of them all is Home Alone. And you say, "Really?" And I say, "Yes." Nothing gets me more revved up about Christmas than watching Kevin set the traps for the burglars to the dramatic "Carol of the Bells."

I know. Its weird. Whatever.

But something about that movie has stuck with me through the years, and I'm not just talking about the crook "Marv" with a giant tarantula on his face. The thing is, when you travel during the holidays, you've got to make sure your house isn't a sitting duck.

So I had the opportunity to chat with Lewis Long, Vice President of Marketing Communications for ADT. Here's just some of the rock solid advice he gave for those who will be away from home on or around the holidays...


Top tips for keeping your home safe year-around, and especially during the holidays:

• Lock your doors even when you are gone for a brief amount of time. A large percentage of burglaries happen during the day, so homeowners should secure doors and windows every time they leave their home. 
• Be proactive about keeping your home safe by checking smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors every month. A quick test of life-safety devices can keep families safe from potential danger. 
• Keep hedges and bushes around your home trimmed, so burglars don’t have places to hide.
• Sign up with 24/7 active monitoring from a security provider to ensure you and your home are safe at all times – whether you're asleep or away from home. In the event of an emergency situation, such as a break-in or fire, your system will immediately notify your security provider and within seconds, the appropriate emergency services will be contacted and dispatched to your home.

 

And a few holiday-specific items:

• Position all holiday trees away from furnaces and doorways so they do not present a hazard in the home.
• Never leave lit candles unattended and consider flameless candles as an alternative.
• Remember that dry holiday trees can become a fire hazard when decorated with holiday lights.  Water your tree daily to keep it properly hydrated and safe.
• Inspect tree lights for damage before hanging them. Also, avoid leaving your tree lights on when the home is vacant, as they could become a fire hazard when overheated.
  
  And finally...

• Be careful about what you post on social media if you are travelling for the holidays.  Burglars can use posts on Twitter or Facebook to determine when you’ll be away.  

Well then! All I have to do is find my pointy Christmas ornaments to put underneath the window. Just kidding. I'll be home for Christmas.

 

This Christmas - Three favorite films with hidden messages

Yes, I'll admit it. I have a problem.
 
I am a Christmas movie-aholic.
 
Give me a little Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer or Frosty the Snowman, and you'll find me teary before you finish singing "So he waved goodbye, saying don't you cry, I'll be back again someday." Classic.
 
But I've got some new favorite Christmas fare, now that I'm a grownup and have learned that the holiday season should be dealt with a degree of humor, if you're going to deal with it at all. So thanks to the talents of Chevy Chase, Macaulay Culkin, and Peter Billingsley (better known as "Ralphie"), I follow up a round of Frosty with cheerful thoughts of 250 strands of lights.
 
If you don't know what the heck I'm talking about, then you need to get your TV watching on this Christmas. Because these three classic holiday movies not only will have you giggling to the tune of "Jingle Bells," but will also bring up some holiday matters of importance.
 
Home Alone - and the cold hard facts about home security. When the mice are away, the cats will play. Or something like that. Anyway, watch the first few minutes of this movie, and even the humor won't shake away those creepy vibes from the soon-to-be villains. The takeaway lesson from this gem is this: when you're leaving your home during the holidays, get serious about security (unless you really have enough toy cars, pointy ornaments, and a tarantula to effectively defend your home, like Kevin does).
 
And be smart! Lewis Long, Vice President of Marking Communications at ADT, says this: "Be careful about what you post on social media if you are travelling for the holidays.  Burglars can use posts on Twitter or Facebook to determine when you’ll be away."
 
A Christmas Story - and the hunt for the perfect toy. My husband had to coerce me into watching this movie all the way through, and even though I threated one episode of Downtown Abbey in return, I had to admit this movie has plenty to like. Also, it reminded me that finding the perfect toy for any kid is not only a challenge, but a task that might take a little outside-the-box thinking.
 
Kids change so fast. I mean, hey, they're kids. But according to Becky Scharf, Director of Stepping Stone Mother's Day Out and Edmond mom of four young children, you can succeed with a little effort. "When selecting a toy for a friend or family member, I try to pick something that is not going to add too much clutter or noise to their house! I also like to pick toys that they won't quickly outgrow and that can be used in different ways or foster imagination and grow with the child."
 
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation - and finally, what to do with the family member from well, you know... You can't pick your family. You get what you get. But that doesn't always mean you like them all that much. (BTW, I love all of mine...wink, wink.) However, the holidays are the time of year when we are often thrown together with the good, the bad, and sometimes the ugly. Maybe you don't have a cousin "Eddie"; then again, you just might. 
 
What to do with an especially difficult person, who may be staying with you for a few hours or even days? Jackie Shaw, a licensed therapist and Executive Director of Edmond Family Counseling, suggests the following: "Make sure you have realistic expectations and a support system for yourself, both inside and outside of YOU!  When the difficult relative lashes out at you, remember that it is not the you in the present he/she is talking to or about. If you can manage to not take the barrage personally, you rise above it and are immune."

 

Words that have me singing a little more fa-la-la-la-la for sure.

And check out next week's blog for more on holiday security:)