Nov 20 • General discussion
Pre-Christmas Family Safety & Self-Defence Awareness
As we move toward Christmas, it’s worth remembering that this is one of the busiest times of the year not just for families… but for opportunists as well.
Homes are fuller, shops are crowded, money is flowing, and people are distracted.
This is when good families get caught out not through fear, but through lack of preparation.
Here are some simple, practical safety habits you can put in place now to protect your home, your shopping, and your family.
1. Don’t Advertise What’s Inside Your Home
If you’ve got a big window facing the street with the tree in full view, avoid stacking all the wrapped gifts at the base.
It might look festive, but to the wrong person it’s a catalogue of high-value items on display.
Close curtains early, use blinds, or reposition the tree so it isn’t visible from outside.
2. Manage Your Packaging
TV boxes, games consoles, tech packaging…
Never leave them beside the bins for collection.
Break them down, hide them inside general waste, or take them to a recycling centre.
Big branded boxes tell people exactly what brand-new valuables are now inside your home.
3. Think About “Follow-Home” Opportunities
Criminals don’t always strike in shops.
Some follow people to their cars or even follow cars home.
If you’ve bought high-value items:
- Walk with purpose
- Don’t appear overloaded
- Keep checking your surroundings in a calm, natural way
- If anything doesn’t feel right, go back into the shop or approach security
Trust your instincts — early awareness prevents problems.
4. Shopping Bags That Give Too Much Away
Designer bags, boutique bags, luxury retailer bags…
All of them send a message.
If you’re going Christmas shopping, especially in out-of-town centres or busy markets, take your own plain bags.
A thief doesn’t know what’s inside a plain shopping bag. They absolutely know what’s inside a branded one.
5. Avoid “Car Boot Full of Gifts” Syndrome
If you’re shopping in stages, move items home and then go back out.
The back of your car jam-packed with presents is another obvious score for anyone watching car parks.
If you must leave things in the vehicle, keep everything in the boot and cover it with an old blanket so nothing is visible.
6. Keep Your Hands Free
Carry fewer bags so you can:
- React quickly
- Open doors easily
- Manage your children safely
- Maintain awareness
If you’re overloaded, you look vulnerable.
7. Never Shop Alone If You Can Avoid It
Two people are significantly harder to approach, distract, or follow.
Go with a friend or family member, especially in the late afternoon or evenings when crowds thin and it gets darker outside.
8. Be Smart With Your Phone
Don’t stand outside shops texting with your head down.
Don’t map-search while walking.
That’s when pickpockets, bag-dippers, and grab-and-run thieves strike.
Step to the side, put your back to a wall, and keep your head up.
9. Home Lighting Matters
Homes that look dark, quiet, or empty stand out.
Use timers, porch lights, lamp timers, or motion sensors.
You don’t need the house lit up like a lighthouse just enough to look lived in and unpredictable.
10. Delivery Safety & Online Shopping
During December, more parcels are left outside than any other time of year.
Use alternatives:
- Secure boxes
- Delivery to a neighbour
- Pick-up lockers
- “Leave behind the gate” only if you’ve got a private garden
Porch pirates exist everywhere, even in quiet villages.
11. Don’t Share Too Much on Social Media
Posting early Christmas hauls, “look what we bought today,” or your child’s new expensive gadget is an advert to anyone watching.
Save it for later, or don’t post it at all.
12. Personal Safety When Walking Back to the Car
Keep keys in your hand.
Walk with confidence.
Scan the environment, not in paranoia, but with awareness.
If something feels wrong, trust that feeling.
Awareness is the best self-defence skill you’ll ever learn.
Final Thought
You don’t need to live in fear, just live prepared for every situation..
A few simple habits now can prevent a ruined Christmas later.
Stay safe, stay switched on, and look out for each other.
Family Bodyguard – Prepare and Protect.
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Pre-Christmas Family Safety & Self-Defence Awareness
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