The holiday season is a time for reflection and the gathering of relatives, but it also can deliver an unwelcome circumstance — crime.

Every holiday season there is no shortage of scams and other criminal activity that can impact families and ruin what ordinarily would be a fun Christmas.

While the local area isn’t consumed with a crime wave, area residents should be aware that even the simplest actions can lead to an unfortunate situation where valuables and other items purchased for the holidays disappear.

Social media is a great resource for many things, and its power is unlimited. Yet social media also can become a fertile hunting ground for criminals. Many of us like, when we go on vacation, to post photos of our time away. We want our friends and relatives to know where we are and the fun we are having. The trouble is that criminals also mine social media for information and posting photos and long storylines of your vacation is a clear signal to someone intent on thievery you are not at home — which means your home could be unguarded.

Another favorite trick of criminals is “porch piracy.” This occurs when packages are delivered to an individual’s home, and a criminal is following the delivery truck at a discreet distance. As soon as the delivery truck departs — leaving your packages at the front door — the criminal moves in to steal the merchandise. Again, such activity isn’t common locally, but it is never a bad idea to be aware such activity can occur.

The best defense, of course, to criminal activity is to not post photos of your vacation on social media. As far as package deliveries go, homeowners can avoid a theft by scheduling the deliveries to arrive when they are home or have the items brought to their workplace or a neighbor.

Finally, we need to look out for each other. That means if you see something out of place with your neighbor, call the police. Local law enforcement can be swift to check out suspicious activity.

The holidays should be a great time for everyone. Let’s all take some basic, common-sense measures to ensure it stays that way.