Christmas day is not just for giving, it’s also for not stealing. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, Dec. 25 is the day many thieves take a break from stealing cars. Very kind of them, no?

But here’s the bad news – those thieves are just postponing their nefarious ways for a week. That’s right, New Year’s Day is the worst holiday for car thefts. Here’s some raw data: 2,760 vehicles were reported stolen in the United States on Jan. 1, 2009 and 2,189 were stolen on New Year’s Eve. Naturally, this year is expected to pretty much follow suit, though the actual number of stolen vehicles is expected to fall for the seventh straight year.

What can you do to combat the problem? Mostly just exercise some common sense. The NCIB recommends the following: parking in well-lit areas, keeping packages in the trunk or out of sight, and making sure your vehicle is locked while it’s parked.

The full report is available at NICB.org.