More and more gifts are being ordered from online retailers each holiday season.

In addition, it’s the time of year we send gifts to family and friends who live in other places.

Those gifts and purchases are delivered to our homes and left by our doors and many times sit there for hours, waiting for us to come home to retrieve them.

That’s when they are most vulnerable to the thieves who live among us.

If you are expecting package deliveries this holiday season, take some steps to keep them safe and out of the hands of those who would think nothing of stealing them.

If you are expecting a package delivery and know it will come during a time you will be away from home, think about asking a neighbor who will be home to watch for the package and retrieve it for you. Or, better yet, have the packages delivered to your work place.

Require a signature on any package you send. That will ensure those packages won’t languish for hours on a porch, inviting thieves to make off with them.

Leave specific instructions for delivery drivers, like leaving the purchases at a back door, or inside a screen door or even behind your bushes.

And, if you have the option, insure your packages. Those few dollars may mean a brighter holiday for you and all involved.

If possible, track your package delivers and know when they will arrive. Make arrangements to be home during the delivery window.

Purchases from the mall and other retailers are equally vulnerable.

Make certain to park your car in a well-lit area when shopping. Never leave your purse or wallet or any purchases in your car where would-be thieves can see them. Lock purchases in your car’s trunk, if you must store them in your vehicle.

Mostly, use common sense to keep yourself and your purchases as safe as possible.