Like about 3 million people (not to mention Santa) you may be taking to the skies this holiday season.
Alas, you won’t have a team of reindeer to carry your load, so you’ll have to stuff some of those presents into your checked suitcase or carry-on.
(We hope you weren’t TOO generous this year…otherwise you’ll have to pay for extra weight and wait extra time to retrieve your luggage from baggage claim.)
We at Bleisure Living aren’t elves, but we’ve rounded up some of the best packing tips for cramming all those wonderful gifts into your luggage.
And our holiday gift to other travel experts is sharing their links here! (Our Santa Travel Workshop is collaborative and gives credit where it’s due!)
- Johnny Jet’s Advice from the TSA has reminders about how even beautifully wrapped gifts may be opened by agents.
- Get great advice (including where your items should be placed in the bag itself) from Misadventures with Andi.
- “Keep it simple, Santa!” says LuggageHero. And watch out for hidden fees.
- Who doesn’t love Bubble Wrap? It comes in handy for those fragile items, according to Royce & Rocket.
- Bring the bare minimum of work-related gadgetry. Unplug as much as you can to enjoy the seasonal festivities. This awesome backpack from Timbuk2 features a completely separate padded area that can store your laptop OR those fragile gifts.
Remember too that you can always pick up stocking stuffers when you reach your destination — airport gift shops and local boutiques have some cool stuff! You can also have gifts shipped ahead to your hotel or destination via Amazon Prime. But that can be risky and it’s recommended to call your hotel in advance if considering this option.
Just don’t stress out about last-minute shopping and remember to enjoy the quality time you are experiencing with your friends and family. Being in the presence of loved ones is truly always the greatest present.
Happy Holidays!
