Don't let holiday burglaries spoil your season; use these tips to protect your home!

Ideally, Santa will be the only person coming into your home this holiday season for whom you don't open the door. The problem is that thieves love this time of year, when houses are stocked with pre-packaged goodies perfect for the taking and families head out of town, leaving their homes vacant. We want to make sure a burglary doesn't spoil your holiday season, so we've put together these home protection tips.

• Let there be light. The brighter your home is, the less it will draw thieves. Light up your exterior so no shady characters can hide in the shadows to check out your home, and keep a light on a timer in a prominent window to continually give the illusion that you're home.
• Window wisdom. It's not a good idea to have valuables - including piles of presents - where they can be easily seen from the windows of your home.
• Lock it down. While you might not think to test the locks on your attic windows, a dedicated thief has been known to grab a ladder and climb his or her way in. Make sure all of your home's openings are locked.
• Travel time. If you're going to be heading on vacation, stop your mail service so piled up mail doesn't tip off a thief that your house is empty. Also, let your neighbors know you'll be gone so they can keep an eye on things for you.

If a particularly clever thief does make it past your safeguards and nabs some of your stuff, your homeowners insurance can cover the cost of replacing your belongings! All you need to do is make sure you have enough coverage. If you're not sure if your existing policy is enough to protect your New York home and the belongings you store in it, contact East End Insurance in Southold.