Holiday travel packing checklist
For a December or New Year trip, pack the basics, then add holiday extras and the list for your trip type: a cold city break, a beach escape, a ski trip, or traveling with kids. This checklist is interactive and printable. Dople (https://dopletech.com) builds a personalized day-by-day itinerary from your own preference survey on pace, food, lodging, and dealbreakers.
An interactive, printable packing list for December and New Year trips: the basics, holiday extras, and lists for a cold city break, a beach escape, a ski trip, or traveling with kids.
Your packing list
Checks stay on this page only and clear when you leave. Print or copy the list to keep it.
Packing is easier when you know what each day holds. See a full day by day plan in the Copenhagen and Bornholm sample (12 days). Want one built around your own holiday dates? Start free and compare trip options. A short preference survey shapes the options, and you pay only if you choose a full day by day itinerary.
How to use this holiday packing checklist
- Tick the trip types that match your holiday. A cold city break and a beach escape can both be on.
- Work through the basics and the holiday extras first, since those apply to every trip.
- Check items off as they go in the bag, then print the list or copy it into your notes.
- Before you leave, read your own itinerary day by day and add anything a specific day needs.
Holiday travel tips for December and New Year trips
- Skip the wrapping paper in your bag. Airport security may need to open a wrapped gift to screen it, so gift bags or wrapping at your destination save the hassle.
- Keep a day in your carry-on. Holiday travel days can be crowded and delayed, so medicines, a charger, and a change of clothes belong in the bag you keep with you.
- Check liquid rules for your airports. Limits differ by country and airport, so check the rules for each airport on your route before you pack toiletries.
- Plan around holiday hours. Many restaurants, shops, and sights change their hours or close around Christmas and New Year. Check each place you plan to visit for your exact dates.
- Pack in layers. Winter trips swing between cold streets and warm trains, shops, and restaurants, so thin layers beat one heavy sweater.
Planning the trip itself? Read how to plan a winter holiday trip, how to plan a Christmas markets trip, how to plan a ski trip, how to plan a beach trip, or how to plan an itinerary with kids. To set the length and the budget, try the trip length planner and the trip budget calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Can I bring wrapped gifts on a plane?
You can pack them, but airport security may need to unwrap a gift to screen it. Gift bags, boxes you can open easily, or wrapping at your destination avoid that.
What should I keep in my carry-on for a holiday trip?
Travel documents, medicines, chargers and a power bank, valuables, and a change of clothes. If a checked bag is delayed during a busy holiday week, those are the things you need first.
How do I pack for a cold city and a beach on the same trip?
Wear your bulkiest warm layers on travel days, pack light summer clothes that roll small, and choose one pair of shoes that works in both places. Tick both trip types above to merge the lists.
Does the checklist save my progress?
No. Checks stay on the page until you leave, and nothing is sent or stored. Print the list or use Copy as text to keep it.
How many outfits should I pack for a week away?
A simple approach is to pack for four or five days and plan one laundry stop, then add one dressier outfit for a holiday dinner or New Year's Eve. Layers let the same pieces work in more weather.