INDIANAPOLIS — If you’re hosting loved ones this holiday season, you may delight in the thought of them unwrapping that perfect present under your tree just like the good ole days.
But even St. Nick himself would have trouble getting certain, popular holiday gifts through TSA: the coal he's known to dole out to those of us on the naughty list can't even be put in a carry-on because it's flammable. Another reason, perhaps, is that Santa doesn't fly commercial.
TSA is in the process of sending out yearly reminders of what rules to consider when traveling this holiday season, which they anticipate will be the busiest in years. The agency reported they screened more than 29.5 million people at airports nationwide during the Thanksgiving holiday travel period, from Friday, Nov. 17 through Tuesday, Nov. 28. It's a number expected to rise during the Christmas season.
The wrong gift to your loved one could hold them up. A gift holdup at the airport was a holiday conundrum faced by Brett Gaffney, a TikToker from Los Angeles, who was given a briefcase from his grandmother as an early Christmas present. The woman allegedly told her grandson not to open it until he got to California, but that gave him a holdup at TSA.
“They asked me what was inside, and I said, ‘I don’t know, I don’t know.” Gaffney can be heard saying in the video. “They said, ‘What do you mean? You’re bringing a briefcase, and you don’t know what’s inside?’”
Agents eventually X-rayed the briefcase on a conveyor belt and informed Gaffney that a vintage typewriter awaited him inside.
We’ve got a roundup of some important TSA protocols to keep in mind while shopping for gifts so your relative can get their present through security and not shove it in their carry-on:
- Don't wrap gifts. While wrapped gifts aren't prohibited through security, TSA recommends putting gifts into bags in case an agent needs to inspect them further.
- Christmas lights are good to go. You can carry on most electronics, including Christmas lights. Just remove personal electronic devices larger than a cellphone from your carry-on bag and place them into a bin once you get to TSA. Make sure nothing is placed on or under them for X-ray screening. (E.g. laptops, tablets, e-readers and handheld game consoles.)
- Mind the snow globes. Snow globes can’t be any bigger than a tennis ball and contain no more than 3.4 ounces of liquid.
- Don't break the seal. If you gifted a swanky bottle of alcohol to a loved one, make sure to keep it wrapped up in the original packaging. Alcoholic beverages with24-70% ABV must be kept in their original, unopened packaging and only be 5 liters or less. There is no limit for checked bags.
- Keep the liquid rules in mind. The TSA liquids, typically referred to as 3-1-1 rule, applies to passengers bringing liquids in carry-ons. Each container must be 3.4 ounces or smaller. Every liquid you bring must fit into a single quart-sized, clear, resealable plastic bag, and each passenger gets one quart-sized bag. The liquid limit does not apply to checked baggage.
- Ice skates, skis and snowboards. You can pack ice-skates in both carry-on and checked bags.
- Consider plants. Plants are allowed through TSA in your carry-on, or even in your overhead bin.
- Perfumes and cologne have certain restrictions. The FAA limits the total amount of restricted medicinal and toiletry articles, including aerosols, in checked baggage. The total aggregate, or whole, quantity per person cannot exceed 2 kg (70 ounces) or 2 L (68 fluid ounces), according to TSA. The capacity of each container must not exceed 0.5 kg (18 ounces) or 500 ml (17 fluid ounces).
You can also get a look at what to bring and what to do before you get to the airport at this link.
