When You Travel from Boston for The Holidays, Here’s Why Last-Minute Gift Shopping Is Actually a Good Idea 

For those of us who fly out of Boston for the holidays, the pressure to be productive on our gift shopping and seasonal prepping starts even earlier. Given that we’ve got to pack and travel before our day-of celebrations, you might think that the earlier you check off your to-do list, the better—but there’s a hassle to traveling with all your gifts, too. Trying to squeeze coats and sweaters into your checked bags while also finding room for wrapped boxes and delicate gifts can seem an impossible effort, and that’s assuming that you don’t accidentally leave any of your buys behind when you pack. And sure, there’s a certain inevitability to these stressors every holiday season, but when you’re packing to head to Boston Logan for your flight, there are ways to avoid a chaotic experience. Even better: they don’t require earlier prep. Actually, waiting until the last minute (or close to it) to get your gift shopping done can be a traveler’s best bet. 

At Boston Logan, taking a last-minute approach—where you gift shop at the airport—is a quick, convenient way to check off your to-do list, but it’s more than that, too. Thanks to the expansive catalog of retailers in our airport, you can score top tier presents for your loved ones, and you can also save big: You’ll save yourself the time and stress of prepping in the weeks before your travels and you might even save some money. Plus, you can even get out of gift-wrapping duty (more on that later). 

This season, when you head to the airport for your holiday trips, here are the benefits to doing your gift shopping in the terminal, and where to find the best products and best deals for the loved ones in your life.  

Save When You Shop Duty-Free (And Score Airport Exclusives) 

Everyone’s budget feels a little tighter during the holiday season, and that’s when duty-free retail—already a staple of airport shopping—becomes all the more enticing. Even when you have gift ideas for your loved ones ahead of time, it can be worth waiting until you’re in the terminal to actually make your purchases and save yourself the sales tax.  

While stereotypical ideas of a last-minute buy might indicate forgetfulness or a lack of effort, duty-free shopping at the airport can be the opposite: You’ll boost your gift-giving reputation by freeing up some room in your budget for more luxurious buys. And that delay in purchasing your presents doesn’t make them any less thoughtful, sentimental or enjoyable, especially when you can score airport exclusives on the brands you know and love, and offer a unique gift to your loved ones—one you won’t be able to find if you shop ahead of time.

Rather than splurging on one self-care item as a gift, in the airport, skincare and beauty retailers offer airport exclusive kits, so you can find a bundle that not only treats your wallet right, but also treats your loved one to a more immersive gift. And the exclusives don’t stop there: Accessories like watches, jewelry and sunglasses from designers feature exclusive designs in the airport’s duty-free stores. Ultimately, shopping at the airport will allow you to find gifts for your loved ones that they wouldn’t be able to find for themselves—and will make you the gift-giver to beat. 

Find Your Loved Ones Their Favorites 

You might already know what type of gift someone in your life likes best—maybe they’ve got a favorite clothing brand or a new set of headphones they’ve been pining for. Because some well-known retailers have locations in Boston Logan, you can find those items in the terminal, too—so you don’t have to worry about making a trip to a shopping center ahead of time or realizing once you board that you left the gift sitting at home.  

Spots like Vineyard Vines, which hardly needs an introduction, and InMotion, which boasts a dynamic selection of the latest high-quality technology and mobile solutions, are ideal gift-buying destinations when you’re looking to find quality pieces, and the convenience of walking to them while you’re already in the airport is unbeatable.  

From pajamas to holiday-themed tees to sweaters to semi-formal wear, Vineyard Vines can be the perfect gift spot for anyone from a kid to a grandparent. And InMotion, which can also be your saving grace if you forgot to pack headphones or chargers for your trip, is the spot to pick up long-lasting and exciting tech-themed gifts. From Beats headphones to Fitbits, you can up your loved one’s tech game and you won’t even have to go out of your way to do it. 

Give Your Loved Ones A Taste of Boston 

Though you’ll be leaving Boston, it can still be a part of your holidays this year—and our city’s iconography can be exciting to those who don’t live here. That’s what makes Shop BOS, a pro shop that celebrates all things Boston sports, a great gift-shopping destination, especially because of its exclusive gear offerings. With jerseys, hats, trading cards and more, you’ll infuse the love of New England sports into your holiday gatherings. And plus, you won’t have to go out of your way to TD Garden to get your hands on these exclusive buys—in fact, since you’re already in the terminal, you won’t really have to go out of your way at all. 

Still, sports-themed gifts probably won’t please every member of the family, and they aren’t the only way to bring some Boston memorabilia with you to your gift exchanges. Ink By Hudson, a staple of numerous airports throughout the country, features books and literary-themed merch to please the bookworms in your life, but it’s more than a bookstore: You can find local souvenirs and work from local authors and artists alongside more nationally recognized reads. Plus, there are great, eclectic finds for the music-lovers in your life—and while you’re popping into the store for some gift shopping, you can also pick up any essentials you need for yourself (and yes, a snack counts as essential). 

Get Your Gifts Professionally Wrapped (For Free!) 

Despite all these purchases, you won’t be showing up with shopping bags that spoil the surprise of your gifts or needing to set aside time to sneak off from the group and wrap all your finds. From December 19th to 24th, terminals B and E in Boston Logan are offering complimentary gift wrapping—an especially exciting promo for those of us dreading our annual struggle with wrapping paper. 

With a professional, polished finish on your gifts, you’ll get on your flight out of Logan having saved time, saved money and saved yourself the trouble of wrapping gifts. And with the stress of shopping taken away, you’ll be ready to focus on what matters most when you land: spending time with loved ones. 

To learn more about holiday shopping at Boston Logan, click here.

This is a paid partnership between MarketPlace Logan and Boston Magazine