Although it’s the most wonderful time of the year, it could be the most dangerous as well.  I came to my office this morning only to hear the devastating news that a 36-year old mother was found this weekend murdered in her home.  This amazing, beautiful, vibrant lady once worked in a title company behind my building and was the daughter and sister of two agents in my office.  Her father and mother found her after she didn’t come to church and didn’t answer her phone.

The Ashalnd, Ky. Daily Independent newspaper offers an article about holiday safety.  Julie Clark of Safe Side discussed protecting your children while shopping.  Word of Mouth has an amazing blog post about the Pyramid of Personal Safety.  They also link to No-Nonsense Self Defense which outlines how to keep your home safe from intruders.  It offers outstanding tips on burglar-proofing your home, including:

Plant rosebushes or cactus in front of all vulnerable windows.

Get and close heavy drapes — especially on rooms where there is expensive equipment.

Install motion detectors in areas where no one should be.

Get a dog.

In addition to self-defense, there are also other home safety issues for the holidays. The Portland Fire & Rescue gives us these Christmas tree safety tips and Imaginif also reviews Christmas tree safety.

In homes with small children, take special care to avoid decorations that are sharp or breakable. keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children to avoid the child swallowing or inhaling small pieces, and avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt a young child to eat them.

Remember, don’t be paranoid, but do be careful out there.