Millions of Americans will head to an airport this holiday season and many of those air travelers may be thinking about how to bring along Christmas gifts for the ride. I’m heading to a family gathering this week and since I won’t see these relatives again before Christmas I thought I’d bring their gifts with me. Here are some tips I’m using to make sure my gifts arrive safely.

Think Ahead

If you know you are going to try transporting your gifts in your luggage, try buying items that aren’t big and bulky. You’ll be thankful for the extra room in your bag. Also, try to avoid very fragile items that might not survive a bumpy ride. And don’t buy any sharp items that could be mistaken as weapons.

Try Gift Bags

Unfortunately airport security doesn’t like wrapped presents and if they are suspicious of what you’re carrying they may be forced to unwrap all of those gifts you’re carting around. Rather than take the chance of having that hard work ripped apart by someone other than your friend or family member, try using gift bags instead. That way if you’re asked, you can easily unwrap it to reveal the contents.

Use Ribbon and Boxes

If you have an item that you really want to put in a box, instead of wrapping it just use a pretty ribbon. Crate and Barrel has beautiful tinsel ribbon that will add sparkle to any plain box.

Wrap the Top and Bottom

If you must use wrapping paper, wrap the bottom of the box separately from the top. Be sure to use plenty of tape to secure the paper to the inside of the box. Then use a ribbon to keep the top and bottom connected. If asked, you’ll be able to open the box and put it back together once the security check is complete.

Buy Bubble Wrap

You don’t have to travel much to know bags can take a big beating. If you’re putting fragile gifts in a checked bag, be sure to wrap items in thick layers of bubble wrap. They’ll have a better chance of surviving the airplane trip.

Expect a few Wrinkles

No matter how careful you are, chances are your beautiful gift bags are going to get a little wrinkled and your boxes may have a few dents. But at least your gifts aren’t going to get lost in the mail.

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If you have any other ideas on how to wrap presents when traveling on an airplane, please share!