How to catch Santa on your Alcom Security Camera

Posted on: November 29th, 2021

We can’t believe it’s already been another year in the books. Next month we will be gathering around the Christmas tree with family and friends and thinking about all the things we are so grateful for. Our partner Alarm.com continues to amaze us with all the enhancements to their smart home app. They really do think of the entire family.

Here’s how you get it set up on your camera.

1. Open your app and select a live video feed from your Alcom security camera.
2. You should see a Santa icon like in the first image below. Select it.
3. You can then choose when Santa you want displayed. They even have created black and white Santas if you want to use a night vision shot.
4. When he is added you can resize him and move him around the photo and place him where you want.
5. When you’re done, you can share the image with your kids, even sending an email to your friends and family if you choose.

What if you don’t have a video security camera? Can you still see Santa?

Alarm.com thinks of everything. If you don’t have a camera, you can actually set up a push notification to your phone that your “chimney has been opened”. You first need to designate a chimney sensor. Here is how you do that:

1. On Christmas Eve, log into Alarm.com and click on Home and choose sensors.
2. Pick a sensor that’s easy for you to activate. Any will do. You will just need to be able to trigger it easily.
3. Now, just rename it to Chimney or anything you want. Chimney works best because you’ll see in the notification message below, the sensor name and typically Santa comes through the chimney.
4. You will then need to create a notification. Click on the notifications tab and create a new one by selecting the sensor activity.
5. Check the box next to the sensor you renamed. Add yourself to the notifications.
6. Then right before you go to bed, open the sensor item you renamed. It will likely be a door or window.
7. You will then receive a notification like the one below. You can then show this to the kids in the morning.

Don’t forget the Easter Bunny!

Alarm.com has done the same clever thing with the Easter Bunny as well. Check your app late Easter Saturday to spot the Easter Bunny in your backyard. You’ll follow the same steps as you did for Santa.