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How to Catch Santa With a Smart Home

Dec 20, 2019|

“You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I’m telling you why...”

We all know the meaning behind this famous Christmas song. It reminds kids to be good because Santa Claus is watching them. But what if the tables were turned—and Santa was the one who had to watch out?

In many ways, a smart home is just like Santa. Just as Santa keeps a watchful eye to see whether kids are being naughty or nice, your smart home is keeping a watchful eye as well—only it’s to keep your home and family safe from threats and intruders (including those who slip down the chimney and leave gifts).

Here are a few smart home automation features that would make Santa think twice before heading down the chimney:

"It sees you when you're lurking..."

Santa Claus may have mastered stealth mode, but these features would certainly give him a run for his money the moment he set foot on your property.

The Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro

If Santa were to park his sleigh in your backyard, he wouldn't get far before he was spotted, thanks to the Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro.

For starters, its wide-angle lens with night vision would not only spot Santa even in the middle of the night, but give you a crystal clear view.

The Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro would also let Santa know he's been seen. It's the only surveillance camera with Smart Sentry, a powerful AI tool that identifies lurkers, and then lets them know they've been spotted by activating a warning light on the camera and sounding a warning tone through the 85 db speaker. It's great for burglars, but not so great for Santa.

vivint outdoor camera pro
With a Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro installed, Santa wouldn't get far before being spotted.
 

The Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro

What if your Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro faced the backyard? Santa still wouldn't get by a smart home's doorbell camera. It also features night vision, so you can clearly see who's coming.

And even if no one rings the doorbell (which Santa certainly wouldn't do), the camera's smart motion detection would sense motion at the door and begin recording. So whether it's Santa coming to the door or your kids leaving carrots on the front porch for the reindeer, the doorbell camera will see it all.

Not only that, but the two-way talk feature also lets you speak to whoever is at the door.

vivint doorbell camera
Even if Santa walks past your front door, your Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro will sense motion and start recording.
 

"It knows when you're inside..."

If you have a chimney and Santa doesn't have to go through the front door, it doesn't mean he's in the clear just yet. A Vivint includes plenty of features he'll have to deal with inside your home, including:

Motion Sensors

When your system is armed and you're away from home (or fast asleep), your smart home security system's motion sensors are hard at work.

These motion sensors are strategically placed during installation by Smart Home Pros who know exactly where an intruder is likely to go when inside your home. Once triggered, the motion sensors will trigger an alarm, alerting both you and the 24/7 monitoring station—which means Santa better hurry.

Let’s be neighbors.

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Indoor Indoor Camera

You'll see and hear everything within the Vivint Indoor Camera's wide-lens line of vision—including Santa as he leaves gifts under the tree! Even if your lights are off, the camera's infrared night vision means you'll still get a clear view of the action.

The indoor camera camera also features two-way talk, so you can talk to Santa directly (and he can tell the kids to go back to sleep) via your Vivint app. If your kids slept through the action on Christmas Eve, they can still go back and watch recorded Smart Clips, which are saved for up to 30 days.

vivint ping camera christmas
With a Vivint Indoor Camera, your kids can re-watch all of Santa's antics.
 

"It knows if you've been in or out..."

Want to know exactly when Santa arrives? Vivint smart locks will let you know who's coming and going. With a smart lock, you don't have to worry about hiding a key for Santa. You can assign codes to each member of your family, your house or petsitter, and even Santa (because going down the chimney sounds like a lot of work). And since each code is unique, you'll know exactly who used the code and when.

Once Santa leaves, you can also lock up with your smartphone from the comfort of your bed. Or, you can set custom rules that automatically lock the door after a certain amount of time.

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Can Santa outsmart a smart home?

Fortunately for Santa (and your kids), a smart home doesn't mean Santa has to skip over your home completely. With Vivint, you're always in the know—and in control—when it comes to your home. And that includes who comes and goes.

Here's how:

Stay updated with notifications

With the Vivint app, you'll receive notifications about what goes on in and around your home, including:

  • Activity on your doorstep. Once your doorbell camera detects motion, you can answer your door with your smartphone. With the doorbell camera's two-way talk feature, you can give Santa the code to your front door—or the "all clear" to go down the chimney.
  • Motion on your indoor and outdoor cameras. You'll also be notified when your indoor and outdoor cameras detect activity. If you want to watch footage of Santa live on your outdoor camera, you can even zoom to get a better look.
  • Front door activity. If you want to catch Santa when he comes through the front door, you can create rules to be notified whenever a code is used.
  • Alarms. Even if you're not home on Christmas Eve, you'll know if Santa triggered your security alarm thanks to your smart home's notifications.
  • 24/7 monitoring. Who's watching your home if you're away or asleep? Vivint's 24/7 monitoring has you covered. If an alarm is triggered—whether it's a smoke alarm, burglary detection, or someone inside has pressed the panic button from your home's Smart Hub—our 24/7 monitoring station will notify you as well as the proper authorities or emergency personnel so you can focus on getting your family to safety.
vivint smart home christmas
Stay safe year-round with a Vivint system.
 
 

A Vivint keeps your family safe and sound

As you can see, with smart home features like these, trying to get through a smart home undetected would frustrate even the jolliest of elves.

But when it comes to actual threats—like burglars, fire, or carbon monoxide—the protection your smart home offers your home and family is real. So whether it's Christmas Eve and you want to have fun tracking Santa with your kids, or you just want to sleep soundly at night knowing your family is protected throughout the year, Vivint has you covered.

For a free quote on a customized system, contact our Smart Home Pros today at 800.646.1469.

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