Packing for a return back to Singapore from your Christmas adventure can prove a little challenging (thanks, Santa)… here's how to avoid being whacked with a huge excess luggage bill at check in!
Hey parents, it’s that time of the year: you’re ditching a tropical Xmas for a Christmassy overseas adventure, but there’s only so much space in the luggage to bring back all your goodies. And, if you’re travelling overseas with kids at Christmas, chances are, the grandparents might’ve gone a little overboard on the stocking fillers… Or, you might’ve bought too many bargains in the post Xmas sales. Let’s face it – you really did need to bring a year’s supply of your favourite chocolate back with you. The result? A fat expense at the check-in counter or wails from the kids when you have to turf out the set of encyclopaedias a ‘helpful’ rellie bought them. Lucky for you, we’ve aced this ‘jetting off at Chrimbo’ malarky, so we’ve put together some helpful tips for managing your post-Christmas packing without you ending up spontaneously combusting with stress!
Get the kids on board
Santa’s wish list: it’s all fun writing the thing, but when your kid is asking for a bike from Father Christmas, you’ll be the one having to bring it 10,000 miles across the world from your festive holiday… that ain’t happening. Sorry kids. Manage them (without them realising they’re being managed) into gift requests such as…
1. Experiences
Look up some of the coolest things to do in your holiday destination, and then book tickets for shows, theme parks, experiences or workshops that will really put the cool into Yule. Wrap up the tickets to open on Christmas day, or make sure the kids know Santa sorted it if the events are before Christmas morning (but wrap up a souvenir from Santa for the day itself). Bringing home photos and memories is way easier than bringing back a dollhouse (which we did once… that’s another story).
2. Classes
If the kids have been bugging you to learn a musical instrument, flex their inner artist or try their hand at a spot of acting, book them a term of lessons and present them with something representative (but small!) and a voucher to open on Christmas Day. This year one of ours has ‘pony riding lessons‘ on her list for Santa. A small plush horse and a postcard of a pony with the deets it is then.
3. Cash or vouchers
Older kids are pretty keen on cold, hard cash, so maybe Santa would like to put some in their stocking this year for them to spend in the sales when they get back to Singapore. Likewise, if your child is itsy bitsy, get the grandparents to all chip in with some money you can use on something big in the new year. Little people are happy enough with teeny tiny stocking fillers anyway. Or even just the wrapping paper.
Packing sensibly before you leave Singapore
We know it’s a minefield, but it can be done. If you plan ahead, you’ll be checking in with not so much as a bag of crisps over your allowance…
1. Take what you intend to bring back
If you are heading to a destination where you don’t have to worry about relatives buying a ton of extra prezzies you hadn’t allowed space for, then buy all the gifts here in Singapore and dedicate a suitcase to them. Wrap them and pack them (when the kids are not around), and then ‘Santa’ will whack them under the tree on Christmas Eve. That way you will only need to repack them in the space they arrived in. Resist the urge to buy more stuff when you get to your destination! They (and you) don’t need it.
2. Use your hand luggage allowances
Yes, people who bring those mini suitcases onto the plane with them are annoying, but be one of those people on your pilgrimage home. Most airlines allow between seven and 12 kilograms of hand luggage per person. That’s a whole lotta chocolate bars.
3. Have the talk
We get that relatives are excited to see you and the kids, and may go a little over the top when it comes to presents. Send them a list of small things they can buy, and refer them to the list above. Make sure they run any ‘big ideas’ past you first. You totally have the power to veto (unless they want to stump up the money for excess baggage charges).
4. Ditch what you don’t need
If you packed a whole wardrobe of winter woollies and are not likely to need them again for some time, persuade a kind friend or relative back home to store them for you. Or in the case of kids, who are likely to have grown out of it all by next Xmas anyway, donate the stuff you don’t need to charity before you leave. It’s amazing how much room five puffa jackets take up – turf them out for the return journey and fill the space with cheese.
5. Post it back
We’ve done this before. The stuff we don’t need to bring with us straight away we box up and send via a boat across the oceans. It takes about six weeks to reach Singapore. Quicker, but way pricier, if you send it via plane. Make sure you keep the value of the goods under $400, or you’ll get whacked with GST and duty charges.
And if all else fails, have a credit card handy to deal with the excess baggage costs!
