Like it or not its that time of year when Grinch like thieves go around and steal holiday lawn decorations from unsuspecting families. The question is how to keep your holiday decorations from being stolen?
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1. Secure your decorations to the ground.
There are two good reasons to secure your lawn decorations to the ground. One, if you live in a windy area like I do, they are less likely to blow over. Two, the more securely they are put in the ground using stakes, the less likely it is someone can grab them and go. You may even want to go as far as looping a bike cable lock through them if there is a tree or fence nearby.
2. Mark Your Holiday Decorations
One of the reasons that thieves steal holiday decorations is to resell them. If your decorations are clearly marked with your address or name in a manner that can’t easily be covered or removed, they will be less desirable to a thief. I used paint marker to write on our light projector as well as covered it in address label stickers. I also attached address labels to our lawn sculptures as well as their plugs. Find a place on them to make a mark or change that you will easily help you identify your decorations.
3. Make it Difficult to Remove the Plugs
A few years ago when we were having lots of rain in December, my husband covered the plugs for our lights in plastic wrap and taped them up. It was a huge pain to get them apart at the end of the season. I sat there for at least 5 minutes or more cutting it off. Most thieves want to grab your stuff and go so if your plugs are not easy to separate they may bypass your house for another easier target.
4. Take Pictures of Your Decorations
There are so many different types of decorations out there and many of them are so similar. If someone stole your decorations and relocated them to their yard or posted them on a sale site such as Facebook, Craigslist, or Next Door, you will have a much easier time identifying them if you have pictures. You can also post pictures for others to help you find your items. The older your items get the more unique they will become and it will be easier for others to spot them if they pop up somewhere.
5. Remove them before New Years Eve
New Year’s Eve is a holiday like Halloween. People are partying and may be having fun. Teenagers or other older partiers who are being drunk and stupid may be looking for trouble. I highly recommend setting a reminder for yourself to take down any cherished decorations before the celebrations begin that evening. This will reduce the chances your favorite decorations could become damaged or lost due to another person’s stupidity or bad choices.
6. Install Cameras Around Your Home
I don’t recommend installing security cameras just to protect your holiday decorations. However, if you were planning to purchase cameras for general home security now is a great time to do it. Cameras will go a long way to deter many thieves. They can also be great for protecting your packages from package thieves.
When someone steals your belongings you may feel frustrated, violated, angry and sad. Even if they did not enter your home there is nothing worse than having your hard earned money wasted through damage or theft. If you haven’t done it yet, secure your decorations. Thieves are waiting and they are out there so don’t make it easy for them to ruin your holiday!
Do you need to organize your holiday decorations once the season is over? Check out my post 8 Easy Steps to Organize Your Holiday Decorations.
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