Size-wise or price-wise, small is beautiful

Instead, this may be a good time to think small when shopping for the travelers on your Christmas list. Smaller items, after all, mean less hassle when packing (not to mention fewer fees when flying), while slightly older, less feature-laden models can provide excellent quality at lower prices than their next-generation replacements. Your giftees will still be grateful, and you may still have enough money left to get yourself something, as well.

In an era when airline blankets are either nasty or non-existent, the Comfort Travel Blanket ($20) from Eagle Creek will shield your favorite flier from both germs and frigid conditions. At 10 ounces and 59 x 36 inches, it’s compact, made of comfortable micro fleece and packs into itself to make a pillow. Best part: It features a zippered pocket that will hold an eyeshade, iPod and other small necessities of modern-day air travel.

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