The holidays can be quite busy but they are often a time when people travel to see family and friends or to take a vacation. Following these basic tips will help make sure you have the best time when you are traveling during this time of year. Being prepared for things to go wrong is the first step in minimizing the damages and getting on with your vacation travel plans.Make sure you have all of your tickets and confirmation numbers in a specific place. It is a good idea to make a copy of the information as well as the contact number for your tickets and place it in another location. This way if you lose the originals you will have all the necessary information to take care of it. You should call 7 days before your travel dates to make sure your reservation is still active for all modes of transportation and your accommodations.It is common for flights, trains, and buses to get delayed over the holidays due to security issues, weather, and trying to meet the needs of the volumes of people using such modes of transportation over the holidays. Ensure you have enough of cash, food, drinks, and necessities to get you through these delays. They can range from a couple of hours to a few days. If you will be traveling a long distance you should consider bringing with you games to pass the time, especially if you are traveling with young children.If you take prescription medications you need to make sure you have them clearly labeled. You may get questioned about them if they aren’t in the bottle you picked them up at from the pharmacy. It is a good idea to have a written note from your doctor regarding the medication as well. Makes sure you have enough of it for the entire vacation including any delays that may occur.Lost luggage is one of the biggest problems when people travel, and it compounds during the holidays because of how busy everyone is. While you really cannot prevent your baggage from getting lost, you can do your best to make sure you have all you need in the mean time. Ensure each person traveling has clothing in all of the suitcases instead of making one for each person. This way everyone will have a chance to have some items should a bag or two get lost in the shuffle.Make sure you identify your luggage clearly so that you will be sure to get yours upon reaching your holiday destination. Almost all luggages looks alike and most people are in a hurry when they are traveling. Tie a colorful ribbon or colored tape on your baggage if you have the common styles and colors. If you travel very often you should consider a unique looking luggage that will stand out.Traveling during the holidays needs to be as smooth as possible to ensure you will enjoy your trip. By making an effort to follow these tips you can help make that happen. There are plenty of horror stories out there about people not being able to get to their destination for the holidays or they didn’t have the items they needed upon arriving. Do not open the door for your holiday vacation to fit into this grim category.