'Tis the season for gift giving but we giveth and others taketh away. Porch thieves are on the prowl and with a lot of folks traveling during the holidays, security risks increase. It might be time to invest in home security.

“The holidays are a great time to get a deal on smart home and home security products," said Dan Wroclawski, Consumer Reports home reporter.

You can find deep discounts on security products like doorbell cameras. You’ll want to find one with excellent video quality and more.

"It's really important to consider your storage options. If someone stole something off your front porch, most companies require you to pay for a monthly plan in order to download and view that footage. Without a plan you can only view footage that’s live,” advised Wroclawski.

Consumer Reports recommends the Nest Hello for $299. It offers several paid storage options with 24-7 continuous recording and alerts.

However, you may need to monitor more than just your door. A security camera system may be worth the money. The Arlo Pro 2 for $300 has several storage plans, including free cloud storage up to seven days, plus packages that come with additional cameras.

And don’t get locked out in the cold. How about a smart door lock?

"So if you have guests coming for the holidays and you’re at work, you can let them in just with a tap of a button on your smartphone,” said Wroclawski.

Consumer Reports recommends the Schlage Sense Smart for $300.

If this all sounds great, you might want to consider a do-it-yourself home security system.

“DIY home security systems are a great option because most of them don’t require you to sign up for a long multi- year contract,” he said.

Now that you’re secure and snug, how about a smart thermostat in case you forgot to turn down the heat on the holidays?

The Nest Thesmostat E for $200 is recommended.

You can also create a whole house system with different products and tie them together with a smart speaker as the central hub. The second generation Amazon Echo Plus is recommended. It costs about $200.

With files from Consumer Reports