Use long hours in the airport or car to share your favorite Hanukah or Christmas memories with the kids. Come armed with your favorite holiday storybooks, too. Youngsters always get hungry and thirsty just after you've passed the last restaurant for the next 50 miles or after the flight attendant has cleared the trays. You can't count on finding food when you need it, especially when you're expecting delays to lengthen travel time. Pack the equivalent of a school lunch for everyone.
Treats go a long way to breaking up the tedium.
Buckle the kids safely in the back in their safety seats or in their seat belts, if they're big enough. They can be seriously injured or killed if an air bag deploys. Remember to buckle up yourself. Most major airlines now offer as much as 50 percent off for children under 2. They also will give you an empty seat, if they've got one.