What I’m Packing – Holiday Edition

With the holidays and holiday travel that comes with it swiftly approaching (where did the time go?) I wanted to share some of the things that help to get me through holiday travel. This year we are are traveling long haul to California, on one of the busiest holiday travel days of the year (Dec. 22nd accounts for 24% of all booked Christmas travel!). I promise to update on how that trip went, as well as updates for long haul travel with a two-and-a-half year old. For more on that, check out a post from traveling with our 20 month old here

But in the meantime I can dream about the things that would make my trip a walk in the park, and what is on my ideal packing list.

 

Desmond and Dempsey Pyjamas Safari Print Pyjama Set – £120 

Always think about the long game while traveling… it’s mind over matter an eventually you will make it to your destination tiation, and more importantly, your bed. And while I wouldn’t wear these on the plane (although they are super cute!) I can dream about drifting off to sleep in these guys.

Ever since I was gifted a set of their Howie Print pjs for Christmas a few years ago by my husband, I have been obsessed with this brand. The soft, lightweight cotton means it won’t take up that much space in your bag, and you will stay comfy, no matter what climate you are traveling to this holiday season. Honestly would work just as well on a tropical beach getaway, to mountain lodge, to grandma’s kitchen. They come in a multitude of prints, as well as solid colours so there is something for everyone. They also make matching eye masks so you can ensure you get your beauty sleep…and yes, I probably would wear that on the plane!

 

Aspinal Passport Cover – £60

Though I’m not usually a fan of passport covers (you always have to fish your passport out of it – rendering the cover somewhat useless) on my dream flight I’d love to whip out on of Aspinal of London’s bright coloured passport covers. I especially love the bright orange – not just because I can find it easily in my bag, but the color is happy and looks especially chic. This is a great gift to treat yourself with, and in this dream scenario, I’d definitely have mine monogramed. 

 

The Ordinary Rosehip Seed Oil – £9

After a 10 hour flight, with very little sleep, I’d love to emerge looking relaxed and well rested, but with a toddler, muahahahaha not going to happen! But one thing that will help you feel a modicum more refreshed, and ready to deal with wrangling everyone off the plane, is a few drops of The Ordinary Rosehip Oil pre and post flight. This beauty product comes up time and time again in forums about long haul travel, and with its low price point, it’s worth checking out to see how it works for you.  I’d love to be the person that whips out a sheet mask and chills out on a flight, but with a toddler in tow, let’s be honest, that is not going to happen. Even if I was traveling alone, I still wouldn’t do that… so this is a good option.  

 

The Baby Shusher – £30

The plane journey is only part of the battle – what do you do to get your kid to fall asleep when you are working with an 8 hour time difference? This is my secret weapon when it comes to nighttime, both at home and while traveling. It was probably the most important thing we packed whenever we travelled the first 18 months of our daughter’s life. “Don’t forget the shusher!” Was a common refrain when double checking that we had all the necessities.. It is now my super boring, super practical baby shower gift, because I hope people love it as much as I do. The Shusher basically makes a “shhhhh, shhhhh” noise for a set 15 or 30 minutes at a time, which gently lulls your child to sleep. This is especially helpful when staying in hotel rooms when you are worried about nighttime waking and how the neighbours will react. 

 

SkipHop Changing Pad – £30

Another practical item here. My husband thought this was pointless to include, because he thought everyone has one already… but for those not in the know I LOVE about Skip Hop’s changing pad because they include a plastic container that is the perfect size to fit your printed out airline tickets and passport, which you can drop in your purse for easy access. access.Plus, they are washable, fold up easily and come in a variety of cute designs.

 

Trader Joe’s Chocolate Nutty Bits – £6

And finally, I’m going to make sure I’m packing a little something special for myself. This is something I do on every flight, have some high quality chocolate or another snack, just for me. I feel it is well deserved mid flight treat, and encourage you to start this tradition as well, especially when traveling with children. These chocolaty treats are MAYBE just MAYBE worth the price of shipping to the UK on Amazon, but any high quality chocolate like Green & Blacks or Tony’s works too. These have to be my favourite though, whenever I am back in the states, a pilgrimage to Trader Joe’s, and the purchase of a few bags of these guys is always on the agenda. Everyone deserves the chance to indulge in these chocolate covered nut clusters, and what better time to do so than on a 10 hour flight when you don’t know when your next decent meal will be?