Traveling during the holidays can be stressful. Here are some tips to help you enjoy your special wintertime trip!

Despite the tales and legends of difficulty when it comes to holiday travel, many still believe the undertaking is well worth it. And why wouldn’t they? Everyone wants to spend the most special time with the people most special to them, but it can come with headaches. Luckily, we’ve put together a list of tips that might be able to help you eliminate some of the stress that comes with traveling around the holidays. Here is what you need to know!

1. Book Trips Around Busy Days

Both the airport and the roads can be packed during the holiday season, making it difficult to maintain your schedule and get to your destination quickly. One of the easiest ways to avoid the traffic that can come with holiday travel is to avoid the busiest days for flights and for road trips. That can mean traveling on weekdays as opposed to weekends or leaving for your trip a day early and heading home one day late. The chaos of crowds can contribute substantially to the anxiety of the holiday season, and one of the best options can be to simply avoid them.

2. Allow Yourself to be Flexible

If you aren’t able to control your travel time, allowing yourself freedom to change plans can be helpful throughout the winter. If you’re traveling, whether by plane, train or automobile, it might be a good idea to ditch the itinerary and play each day by ear. As with most perfect plans, odds are, the execution won’t be quite as smooth, but here’s the kicker: That’s OK! Though it may be easier said than done, eliminating the constraints that come with scheduling tasks and travel times can take heaps of stress off your plate.

3. Pack Lightly

Sometimes the seemingly small ideas can make the biggest impact. In the case of holiday travel, packing lightly is one of those times. Now, we know what you’re probably thinking. Travel during this time comes with responsibility. It might even come with changes in weather or activities, meaning that you need to pack enough to prepare for any outcome. In all actuality, packing more than is absolutely necessary can clog your suitcase and your mindset. Furthermore, if you’re traveling by air this winter, it can open doors to nightmarish luggage scenarios, such as the airline losing your checked bag. When in doubt, pack what you’ll need, carry it on the plane and enjoy your time!

4. Ship Gifts to Destinations in Advance

Along the lines of packing lightly and bringing only what you need, one of the best ways to cut clutter if you’re traveling this holiday season is to ship gifts directly to their destinations in advance. It might sound so simple, but it’s so easy to get stuck stuffing major presents into a suitcase only meant to hold your clothes for the week. Now, you’ve expedited the process, eliminating the most difficult steps. Furthermore, you can save some shipping time by sending your gifts straight from the manufacturer to where they need to be. Instead of panicking and hoping they arrive the day before your flight or road trip, you can buy yourself an extra couple of days and pick up wrapping paper when you get there.

5. Embrace the Moment

A simple solution to such a complicated problem, but we truly believe that embracing the moment can alleviate the undue tension that comes with holiday planning and traveling. Instead of focusing on the things you can’t control, focus on the moments and events you have power over. We understand that delayed flights, traffic, transportation, gifting and virtually everything else that comes during this season can be a potential source of pain, but allowing yourself to enjoy and relish in the positives of the moment can change your vacation.