If you believe the lyrics to “Jingle Bells,” people used to laugh all the way during their
holiday travels. Today, getting to grandma’s house may be a little more complicated,
but there are still ways you can have stress free holiday traveling.

If you would like to listen instead of reading enjoy the Stress Free Holiday Traveling Facebook Live I did here:

11 Strategies to Stress Free Holiday Traveling 

1. Plan your travel months in advance. If you’re flying in November or
December, book your flights in January or February. This way, you’ll be
assured of having your travel venue established and won’t get caught up
in the last minutes rush for flights and inflated pricing. Plus, it will help
you spread out your holiday spending.

2. Save extra cash all year for travel problems. If you should get snowed in
during a layover, you’ll need extra money for meals, cabs, and a hotel.

3. When flying learn to pack light. Develop a short list of what to take on your trip.
Think about 1 set of dress clothes, 1 set of casual clothes, a pair of jeans, a
black sweater, 3 colored tops, and a warm scarf. Take care that you can
mix and match every clothing item you take. Most importantly, carry on
your bags to prevent your bag being lost or placed on the wrong flight. I personally fly Southwest airlines because you get a carry-on plus a personal item for no extra charge.

4. Consider mailing your gifts in advance. Tell the relatives you’ll be
staying with that you’ll be mailing a box of gifts to them and ask them to
simply place the box in a corner or under the tree until you arrive. Better
yet, if you give gift cards, they’ll be easy to pack and transport to your
destination.

5. Whether you are going by plane, train, or road trip allow plenty of time to get to your destination. Staying calm is easier when you give yourself plenty of lead time. Leave the house a little earlier than usual. The added stress of worrying you’ll miss your flight or arrive late is just unnecessary.

6. Pack healthy snacks. Skip the fast food at the airport. A peanut butter sandwich with an apple and a bag of grapes might come in very handy on a long flight that serves tasteless,
refrigerated, expensive foods or worse yet, no food at all.

7. Expect to run into snags. That extra time will come in handy if you miss a
connecting flight. Keep an extra change of clothes with you in case some
luggage gets lost.

8. Travel during off-peak hours. Early mornings, late nights, and the middle of the
week may be less crowded. Shorter lines are a great way to reduce stress.

9. Start out well rested. You can manage everything better after a full night’s rest.
Try to get at least eight hours of sleep before your trip. Take an afternoon nap if
you’ve got a late flight ahead.

10. Limit alcohol and caffeine. Take it easy with the free cocktails. Flying is
dehydrating, so alcohol and caffeine aggravate the effects. They can also make
it hard to just chill. Drink more water instead.

11. Maybe if you are a little nervous about traveling you could try a little meditation. You can use a string of wooden beads for counting or load a favorite image onto your smart phone or tablet.

Stress Free Holiday Traveling  Meditation

1. Sit up straight and relax your shoulders. Take deep breaths
from your abdomen. Let distracting thoughts dissolve away as you focus on your
breath.

2. Think about your destination. Picture your destination and the loved ones
you’ll be visiting. Mentally greet them and describe to yourself the good times
you’ll share. Think about what’s for dinner and the gifts you’ll exchange.

3. Expand your thoughts to those around you. Remember that you’re surrounded
by people making similar plans. Think about all you have in common. Make
believe that you’re all sharing a loving and joyous celebration.

4. Focus on your new holiday mood. Once you’re feeling relaxed and happy, let go
of the details and rest your mind in that warm feeling. If other thoughts begin to
interfere, retrace your steps to bring that positive sensation back.

5. Dedicate your good feelings. Pretend you can wrap up those good feelings in a
box and present them to everyone around you. Pay special attention to those
who may be experiencing less fortunate circumstances.

6. Gradually return your attention to the present moment. Bring yourself out of
meditation slowly. Take notice of your body and the objects around you while
trying to keep a relaxed mind.

7. Remind yourself of how you felt while meditating. There may still be
lost luggage or missed connections ahead. When you encounter a hitch in your plans, think about how good you felt while meditating and use those thoughts
to maintain your composure.

Traveling for the holidays doesn’t have to be terribly stressful. Apply these Stress Free Holiday Traveling  strategies to ensure you make it to your destination rested and ready to share in the holiday traditions with your family members and loved ones.

Stress Free Holidays: How to Survive Your Relatives this Holiday Season is a part of a blog series. In case you want to check out the other parts in the Stress Free Holidays series here are the links to each part.

Stress Free Holidays -Holiday Traditions and Memories

Stress Free Holidays- 8 Simple Holiday Time Savers

Stress Free Holidays: Gift Giving the Stress Free Way

Stress Free Holidays: Survive the Holidays Without Blowing Your Budget