BuckleUpAmerica Safe Holiday Traveling

Americans love to get into their cars and visit relatives on holidays. What better way for the whole family to share a happy bonding experience without the hassles of airports and flying. With today's fuel efficient cars compared to soaring air travel costs, car expeditions can make economic sense. And because many people today work from their home, packing up the laptop means you can extend your holiday travels without missing a lot of work.

Safe travel starts with seat-belt usage for the driver and all passengers. Next, be sure to pack well-stocked first aid kit and emergency tools in case your experience a problem on the road. One problem often encountered during holiday travel is jam-packing your vehicle with bulky gifts. Sharp-edged boxes can do serious damage in a head-on collision, especially if they are not properly secured. One way out of this problem is to stop by a florist as you approach your destination and pick out a beautiful gift appropriate to the holiday. It will only be onboard for a few miles, will be fresh and bring delightful sights and smells to any occasion.

Here is a floral mini buyer's guide for weary holiday travelers to consult as they make last-minute purchases:

• Thanksgiving flowers -- Chrysanthemums are a recurrent favorite at Thanksgiving. They are appealing not only for the wide assortment of colors available, but also the copious size range of specimens. A lovely bouquet of mums will sport sizes from tiny to stupendous in three or more lively colors.
• Christmas flowers – Red poinsettias are a handsome tradition during the Christmas season. When featured with green foliage, a sensational arrangement will convey the traditional colors associated with the yuletide. Another big item at year’s end is mistletoe. Christmas reunions are always more festive and exciting when mistletoe is hung above the threshold of your kissing cousin's guest room.
• Valentines flowers – You don't want roses, you want ROSES! A mere dozen won't be sufficient. A bouquet of three dozen red roses will without doubt work magic on this magical holiday. And for long-wed couples, white or yellow roses are also beautiful and can make a profound statement about the glories of a long-term relationship. For variety, it's nice to purchase a live rose bush, so that the romance can keep on keeping on.
• Mothers Day flowers – Flowers are a lifesaver if you can't imagine what to buy on Mother's Day. Look, the last thing you want is for Mom to put you in the doghouse, so make sure you get her a large bouquet or planter of her favorite flowers. Gardenias and other strongly aromatic flowers will be a big hit and make your Mom's house smell great.

Just remember, whatever the holiday, drive safely and buckle up.