The festive season might be filled with lights, celebrations and family gatherings, but for locksmiths, it’s also a time when our work becomes surprisingly varied. While most people are winding down, travelling, or taking time off, the need for reliable locksmith services doesn’t disappear—in fact, some issues become even more common. From everyday lock faults to increased security concerns, December and January can be a busy time for our industry. Here’s a look at the types of callouts we often deal with over Christmas and New Year, and why having a trusted locksmith on hand is more important than you might think.
Everyday Locksmith Services
Just because it’s Christmas, doesn’t mean the everyday work stops! People still need locksmiths over the festive period for all sorts of routine things. Locks will still stop working, jam or even break. So while we do see a bit of a reduction in the number of people calling, we’re generally still kept pretty busy. Especially when you think of all the people moving around – people are bound to get locked out or lose their keys! Emergency or not, it’s always wise to have a locksmith’s number saved in your phone.
Burglaries
According to the National Crime Victimisation Survey (or NCVS), robberies increase by around 20% at this time of year. Which isn’t surprising given there are so many people buying and storing expensive gifts, moving around and going out more, leaving homes empty for long periods and almost guaranteed to have valuables inside. This is never a nice thing to think about, but it does mean that we see a rise in callouts for burglary repairs. This is things like changing locks, fixing damage and boarding up broken windows, making sure the property is secure for the occupants. This is one of the reasons locksmiths advertise 24/7, 365 day service – because we know things like that can and do happen.
Festive Frustrations
We all let go a little around Christmas and New Year, so it’s no surprise that lock outs and lost keys are a very common occurrence too! We get several dozen calls every year for people who have lost or forgotten their keys. More again for people who’ve got a little too merry and have put the wrong key in the lock and forced it just a bit too hard, snapping it off in the lock. Often these calls are late at night or early in the morning, when all these people want is to get into their beds, so they need help sharpish!
Weather-Related Lock Issues
One seasonal challenge that catches many people off guard is the impact winter weather has on their locks. Cold temperatures, frost and moisture can cause locks to seize, stiffen, or freeze entirely—particularly on older mechanisms or external doors that aren’t used regularly. Metal contracts in the cold, which can make keys harder to turn or prevent locks from engaging properly. We often receive calls from homeowners who think their lock has “suddenly broken,” when really it’s the winter conditions making everything work a little harder. A quick professional assessment can fix the issue on the spot and help prevent it happening again with proper maintenance and winter-proofing.
Security Boosts for 2026
In early December and early January, we tend to get an increase in calls about security – both home and commercial. Either in response to stories about neighbours being targeted by burglars or just because they want to get it off the to-do list, there seems to be more interest in security during the winter. Whether that’s upgrading home security systems, adding security cameras or finally installing roller grilled on their commercial premises, we always know to stock up on security basics!
At My Locks, our job is to make sure burglars have such a hard time getting into your house that they give up and try somewhere else. We inspect and check all of the locks, doors and windows in your home to make sure they are fully operational and secure, as well as install other safety measures to keep thieves out for good. If you want to know more about keeping your home safe this festive season, just get in touch with the team today and we’ll be happy to help.