My family chose to do an early Christmas this year, which means I was in Colorado last week. It was so hard to come back to Minnesota because it was sunny and 65 every day I was there. When I was flying back last night, I was talking to the flight attendant and she said from now to January 5th airports across the country are going to see a lot of travelers. Here are some tips to make your travels easy and stressfree.

If you are flying:

1. If you are parking your car at the airport parking lot, it's best to check and make sure there is still space available. Last time I checked on the MSP website, there weren't many options left.

2. Get to the airport at least two hours before your boarding time to make sure that you have enough time to get checked in and get through security. The MSP website has wait times for TSA to give you a better idea of how long it will take.

3. Having enough room to get gifts back can be tricky! My mom gave a pack smarter, not harder checklist. Some suggestions she had were to pack things inside your shoes. Socks, underwear, and t-shirts fit nicely in them. If you roll your clothes up and put them in gallon ziplock, they take up less space... leaving more room for presents. Lastly, don't overpack because you'll bring way more back than you came with.

4. Have a good book for the flight, or if you are like me have icebreaker questions ready, so you can get to know the person you are sitting next to.

If you are driving:

1. The most important thing ever when driving is to make sure you have phone chargers for your phone! ;) Just kidding. It is very important to have those, but there are many other things to consider.

2. Make sure your tire pressure is good. It is recommended that you have at least 35psi in each tire. It's also a good idea to check the tread to make sure if you get caught in a snowstorm your tires are good. An oil change might be good if you have time.

3. Ice Scrapers are a must in Minnesota, but having a backup one never killed anyone. If you are in a pinch... a credit card will do the trick.

4. Snacks, games and a plan are also good things to have. Having those will make for a successful trip no matter where you are going!

From the Rochester Townsquare Media Team to your family, we wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

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