Folks who are traveling over Thanksgiving or Christmas are likely to find themselves carrying gifts they plan to exhange with those they are visiting.  So, is it really best to carry those gifts?  Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• If you carry your gift with you on a plane or train, it MUST be unwrapped. That means you'll need to leave time to wrap it once you arrive. You'll also need to carry wrapping supplies.
• Carrying gifts could mean the difference between checking a bag and not. Depending on checked bag fees, it may be cheaper to ship things, especially if they fit in the USPS pre-paid boxes.
• If you plan to exchange gifts at your destination and you order online, you can just have the gifts shipped to the destination in advance and wrap when you get there.  This only works if folks at the destination can resist the temptation to peek.
• If you need to ship fragile things, pay for the insurance.
• Keep in mind that you may not be allowed to ship certyain things, particularly alcohol.  If you take a gift that includes alcohol to a shipping center, they may refuse to pack and ship it.
• As you receive online orders, it may be a good idea to stockpile packing materials.  I keep the airbags and packing peanuts that gifts come in.  Why buy it when I can recycle it?

What hints do you have to share?