We all know how stressful the holiday season can be. From Thanksgiving through New Year's, many of us have a calendar filled with events, parties, and family gatherings, not to mention the cooking, hosting, and gift-buying we are tasked with. Add traveling somewhere during the holiday season and that's just an entirely new level of stress! I have flown many times around the holidays, both within the U.S. and abroad, and also taken long road trips to visit family during this season. It's safe to say I'm a seasoned traveler.

Whether you plan to take a road trip to see family or fly somewhere within our country or beyond, here are some helpful travel tips to help alleviate some of your stress this upcoming holiday season:

Buy plane tickets well in advance.

As someone who loves to plan ahead for any trip, I will book a plane ticket as far in advance as I can. In fact, I just purchased my plane tickets to the East Coast for Christmas and New Year's (and, believe me, that has already saved me from any potential anxiety).

As the cost or the use of credit card points becomes a factor when booking plane tickets for many of us, try as hard as possible to book a direct flight. If not, make sure there's enough time between flights if you have to book a flight with connections. That way, if your initial flight is delayed, you'll have less of a chance of missing your second flight.

Take a carry-on bag with your necessities.

In an ideal world, I would only ever travel with a carry-on. However, since my destination is normally a colder climate during the holidays, my sweaters, boots, and other cold-weather gear just won't fit into such a small bag. So, I will check a bag and then pack my medications, an extra pair of clothing, and pajamas just in case my luggage gets lost in transit. This gives me great peace of mind.

Get to the airport several hours before your flight.

Did you know that the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after Thanksgiving are typically the busiest travel days of the year? Also, the days leading up to Christmas are also among the busiest days as well. I suggest you get to the airport at least three hours before a domestic flight. Keep in mind that the airport will have far more travelers than normal, so the queues for check-in and security will be long. I've almost missed a few flights due to long lines at security and believe me when I tell you — I was super stressed!

Book accommodations in advance, too.

If you're not staying with family or friends at your destination and need to book accommodations, you should also book your hotel or vacation rental in advance. Depending on where you're spending the holidays, hotels and rentals can get booked up fairly quicky, especially in larger cities that host popular holiday events.

Check the weather if you plan on driving, and time your drive accordingly.

I was working on a TV show in Maryland several years ago and decided to drive the six hours to Rhode Island to enjoy Thanksgiving with my family. Well, it actually took me about eight hours due to snowy weather and a bad car accident on the highway that caused a massive detour. Whenever I take a long road trip now, I check both the weather and traffic conditions to help me plan when to leave and the best route to take. Due to family road trips during the holiday season, you may have to leave an hour or two earlier than you normally would to account for traffic, weather, and any detours along the way.

Whether you're flying or driving, pack snacks, a book, and/or a tablet.

Make sure you pack enough snacks for your journey no matter how you get to your destination. Furthermore, loading your tablet with your favorite shows or bringing a good book is a great way to pass the time and take your mind off any travel anxiety you may have.

Send any presents to your destination ahead of time.

This travel tip has saved me huge headaches. I usually avoid crowds as much as possible and do most of my shopping online. However, instead of having everything delivered to my house, I will have it shipped in my name to a family member's house instead and wrap everything when I arrive. This saves on room in my luggage and any additional baggage fees as well as gives me the peace of mind that your bag full of gifts won't get lost by the airline.

Be flexible with your plans.

Anything can happen during the holiday season, especially in cold-weather. Your flight may be delayed or even canceled due to a snowstorm. As stressful as that can be, try to maintain your composure, take deep breaths, and know that you eventually will get to your destination.

Do you have any other holiday travel tips? What are they? No matter what you do or where you go this upcoming holiday season, safe travels!