12 peaceful practices for less-stress holiday travel

by Jason Barger on December 19, 2008

Looking to bring the spirit of the holiday season to the airport with you? Follow these 12 practices for the holidays during your twelve days of holiday travel and enjoy the stress they release and the peace they bring to otherwise stressful travels. (They actually work well any time of the year.)

1. Say “Thank You” before you enter the airport – be grateful for the opportunity to travel.

2. Wish the airline employee, who is herding cats all day long at the ticketing counter and boarding gate, “Happy holidays!”

3. Grab a good cup of coffee and savor it.

4. Find a spot to enjoy 5 minutes of silence.

5. Let someone enter the security line ahead of you.

6. Find a crowded area and take a seat on a bench to do some people watching. Appreciate uniqueness.

7. Don’t contribute to the “Human Wall of Boarding” by standing too close to the gate before your “zone” is called to board (Thank you, Janice Hough)

8. Help someone on your airplane load their carry-on into the overhead storage bin.

9. On your flight, write a letter to someone in your life that you want to remind how important they are to you.

10. Sit still at the “ding” when your airplane lands. Don’t contribute to the madness – everyone has places to go.

11. Step back from the baggage claim so that everyone can see the bags when they begin moving down the carousel.

12. Hug your family members and friends and tell them you love them

Jason Barger is author of Step Back from the Baggage Claim: Change the World, Start at the Airport.

Print Friendly

Tagged as: holiday travel, travel stress

  • Marge P

    All of these practices work wonders! Great list, Jason!

  • Jo E

    I was traveling last week and took small gifts for the gate agents and flight attendants. It wasn’t much – just a cookie in a decorative tin, but you would have thought I had give them a $100 bill!! Made my day!

  • Amy

    How wonderful it is to remember how little acts of kindness can go a long way. Misery may be contagious, but happiness is more so.

  • http://www.singleparenttravel.net John F

    Chocolate to the flight crews usually works wonders for me!

  • Pingback: Zen And the Art of Airport Travel | Miss Maccy Pants, Super Gizmo Man & the Applets do Europe

  • Frank

    6. Find a crowded area and take a seat on a bench to do some people watching. Appreciate uniqueness.
    ===================================================

    This memory has got to go back some 20 years and I still smile when I think of it.
    I was waiting for my aircraft at the gate in LGA. As usual, the gate was packed with travelers, nearly every seat was occupied. I leaned against the window and began to “sight-see”. The usual businessmen reading their newspapers, etc. Well, this morning, everyone was transfixed on the DOLLAR BILL sitting on the floor. I kept watching and wondered why a dollar bill had everyone’s attention. Soon, I found out. A passing traveler noticed the dollar bill and bent down to pick it up. As soon as the traveler reached for it, the dollar bill magically FLEW AWAY and with that, everyone in the boarding area LAUGHED. The passing traveler soon realized that the dollar bill was attached to fishing string and was, “had”. I, too joined into the anticipation of another victim. Boy, I had a good time that morning, laughing at a practical joke. What a UNIQUE WAY to enjoy a few moments before boarding. And what a UNIQUE MAN who created a moment of JOY.

Previous post:

Next post: