Vivint Authorized Retailer Missoula
Smart Security Specialists -- Your Vivint Authorized Dealer Covering Missoula & Surrounding Areas

Keep the season full of cheer: Discover tips to boost safety during the holidays

October 20, 2025
Kids opening a gift in the living room beside a Christmas tree.

Thanksgiving dinners, Christmas parties, and spending precious moments with family members are several of the things we cherish during the holidays. It’s a time for cheer, but the season also brings some unique safety risks. Thankfully, adhering to some basic recommendations and using an advanced security system at your Missoula property can boost safety during the holidays.

Are you traveling? Prevent break-ins at your Missoula home with the latest video cameras and automation

Going to visit relatives is a holiday custom, but leaving your Missoula house empty ehances the danger of burglaries. But there is an answer. Modern home security systems let you keep tabs on your property no matter your location with the latest surveillance. You are able to check live footage from your cameras through the smart home app on your mobile device.

Leading surveillance tools can actively defend your home from trespassers. If a person gets within range, cameras will beam a light or emit a sound to send them running. Here are some additional ways you can deter break-ins when you’re away: 

  • Set lights to turn on at different moments to make your house seem inhabited
  • Ensure your home security sign is in clear view
  • Make sure doors are locked and your system is armed through the smartphone app
  • Don’t broadcast on social networks that you’re traveling

Protect against holiday porch pirates in Missoula

For countless families, the holidays include a steady stream of packages to the front door. Don’t attract opportunistic criminals by allowing them to sit outside. Alternatively, obtain an instant notification to your smartphone whenever something arrives so you know to grab it. 

If possible, plan deliveries for when you know you’ll be home. When that’s not possible, ask a neighbor to take them in. You can open your door and temporarily turn off your alarm from your smartphone. If somebody is on your porch, you can speak to them through your doorbell camera’s two-way talk function. 

Adhere to accepted fire safety during the holidays in your Missoula home 

Christmas trees, candles, homemade meals, and string lights are common during the holidays, but they also put you at risk for fires. Here are several tips on how to circumvent them:

  • Cooking fires escalate during the holiday season, notably at Thanksgiving. Avoid turning your back on an active stovetop. Keep kids at a distance to protect against burns. Always follow manufacturer instructions when operating fryers.
  • Hydrate Christmas trees and keep them a safe distance from fireplaces and open flames, such as candles. Be mindful that trees become more fire-prone as they dry out.
  • Don’t overload electrical outlets with extension cords and lights. Improper connections and older outlets are prone to sparks and may cause fires.
  • Glowing candles are lovely but also dangerous around trees and decorations. Use them carefully and always put out flames when exiting an area.

Monitored fire alarms are a fantastic way to enhance your protection. When safety devices like fire alarms and CO detectors integrate with your home security, you and your 24-hour monitoring professionals will be alerted whenever an alarm trips, whether you’re on site or not.

Remain safe during the holidays with a Vivint smart home in Missoula

Get all the equipment you need to remain safe during the holidays and all year long from Vivint. Our Missoula home security systems give you modern features like custom automation, monitored fire alarms and video cameras with active deterrence. Contact us at (406) 926-0627 and give your loved ones the gift of improved protection this holiday.