There’s truly nothing like being surrounded by friends and family for the holidays. After jet setting my way through 2015—from Chicago to Hawaii, Florida to Baltimore, and of course, DC—I let my plans for December fall to the wayside. It wasn’t until yesterday that I realized I was longing to be home.

Of course, booking a flight days in advance comes with a hefty price tag. Thank goodness for thoughtful husbands who are willing to share their airline miles.

So, after a few hours searching for the best flight and some rush fee charges, I am officially headed to the east coast on Friday (it also helped that I don’t mind traveling on Christmas)! I seriously couldn’t be more excited. Although my husband won’t be joining me due to his crazy work schedule, I’ll be back in time for a 2016 kiss.

After flying so much in the last year, here is my roundup of the top eight travel essentials.

1. Kindle, from $119.99 Best way to travel light and avoid boredom! Some guaranteed page-turners are The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins and Dark Places by Gillian Flynn.
2. Uggs, $154.95 Cozy and easy to slip on and off during security checks.
3. Mobile charger by Ban.Do, $30 Nothing worse than you phone running out of juice when you’re trying to meet up with your ride home!
4. Lululemon Wunder Under pants, $98 Leggings are great for travel because they’re so comfy and allow you to move freely.
5. Shirt by Rails, $138 This shirt is unbelievably soft and wrinkle resistant. Also great for layering when it’s cold.
6. Wool Scarf by Athleta, $118 Warm scarves are a must-have accessory for uncontrollable plane temps.
7. Serial podcast, free online or on the Podcast app If you want the flight time to fly by, listen to how Sarah Koenig tells a controversial story. The first season covered the disappearance and death of a Baltimore teenager and the second season, which began in December, follows the story of US soldier Bowe Bergdahl who left is post in 2009 and was held captive by the Taliban for five years.
8. Shape Magazine, $4.99 From healthy recipes to great ab workouts, you’ll be motivated to hit the gym upon landing after reading an issue of Shape.

You are now ready for takeoff! Have a safe flight and happy holidays!