Gifts to take on a trip: in checked luggage, in hand luggage, or sent ahead?
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by Verpakkingdeals.nl
5 min reading time
Are you taking a gift with you in your suitcase or sending it ahead? A pragmatic consideration, with the rules for liquids and the box sizes that fit each type of gift.
A bottle of olive oil for your sister, a piece of jewelry for your mother, and a game for your brother's children. Everything just fits in the suitcase until you're at the airport scale and the liquid still has to come out. Or worse: the gift is at the bottom, the suitcase gets a bump en route, and you unpack something broken at your destination.
Bringing gifts when traveling seems easier than sending them, but that's not always the case. Below is a realistic consideration: when do you take it with you, when do you send it ahead, and how do you pack it in both cases so that it arrives intact?
First, the consideration: bring it or send it ahead?
Bringing it is attractive if the gift is light, flat, and unbreakable, and if you are already traveling with checked baggage. Sending it ahead wins as soon as any of these factors apply: the gift is fragile, it contains liquid, it is heavy, or you are traveling with carry-on luggage only. Also, consider the cost of an extra suitcase. As soon as you have to pay extra for a second piece of luggage, a package by post is often cheaper than the additional payment — and you have your hands free during the journey.
A third route is often forgotten: only bring the packaging. A Luxury Gift Box 9x9 cm - Marble Design (€ 7.99) weighs almost nothing and can be transported flat, and you can buy the gift itself at your destination.
What goes wrong in a suitcase
A suitcase endures more wear and tear than a package. It is stacked, thrown, and the contents shift back and forth because there is space in between. Three things you can solve with packaging:
Pressure from above. Anything you put in a cardboard box holds its shape. A Black Flat Gift Box with Window 12.5x8.5x1.5 cm (€ 1.99) is almost as flat as the gift itself and protects against creases and bends.
Shifting. Place gifts in the middle of the suitcase, surrounded by clothes. For loose small items, a Jewelry Box Black 9 x 6.5 x 2.8 cm (€ 2.95) helps: necklaces won't get tangled.
Liquids: the point where things most often go wrong
Perfume, oil, drinks, bath products, sauces: all gifts that are often carried and for which the rules are strictest. Schiphol states that as of September 1, 2024, liquids in carry-on luggage are only allowed in containers of a maximum of 100 ml, together in one resealable transparent bag of one liter per person; more is allowed in checked baggage. Medicines, dietary food, and baby food that you need during your journey are an exception (source: schiphol.nl).
Rules can vary by airport and are occasionally adjusted, so check the website of your departure airport shortly before you leave. And remember: a bottle in checked baggage is allowed, but it will be among your clothes. Wrap it in a plastic bag before you pack it, or just send it.
Packing: beforehand or upon arrival?
A sealed gift in your carry-on may still need to be opened at security. That's not a disaster, but it's a waste of your wrapping paper and your time. The practical approach: take the gift unwrapped and wrap it at your destination. A flat box can be brought along without taking up space, and a Cardboard Bag Always In My Heart (€ 3.00) folds flat in your suitcase and can be set up on the day itself.
If you do decide to wrap it beforehand, choose a box that stays closed without a bow that gets caught on everything. A White Packaging Box with Magnetic Closure 9.5x9x10 cm (€ 5.00) opens and closes without tape, so even if someone inspects it en route, it will still look neat afterward.
If you're mailing it: the right box
If you're sending it ahead, the shape of the gift determines the box. A small overview of commonly used sizes:
Weigh your suitcase at home, with the gifts inside.
Remove all liquids from your carry-on, or send them ahead.
Put fragile gifts in a box, not loose among your clothes.
Bring packaging flat and wrap upon arrival.
Calculate the cost of an extra suitcase — compare that with a package.
Prepare everything before you leave
You can find gift packaging in Gift Packaging & Gift Boxes, shipping boxes and bundles in Boxes and Mailbox Packaging. Not sure which size fits your gift? Send the dimensions of the gift to info@verpakkingdeals.nl, and we'll help you find the right box — whether it's going in your suitcase or being mailed ahead.
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