Airport services are offering travelers a special box for gifts to help meet carry-on requirements

(CNN) -- Tightened rules for carry-on baggage mean holiday travelers may have a tougher time bringing gifts and extra baggage on planes this season, but there are options for getting your packages to their destination.

"We encourage people to mail their gifts. It does ensure that they're going to get there in advance of the holidays. It does avoid problems at the airport with security," said Skip Barnette, a spokesman for Delta Air Lines.

If you get in a bind, you can usually find a post office at the airport. Most post offices have extended hours for the holidays.

"We will be open late on Christmas Eve as well. And... the post office will be delivering on Christmas Day," said Michael Miles, a U.S. Postal Service spokesman.

For last-minute shoppers, the post office provides boxes, tape and other tools to help you wrap your packages. You also should remember to put an extra address label inside your packages, in case the outside gets damaged.

If you must bring your gifts on board the plane, many airports have wrapping services where you can buy boxes that meet carry-on requirements.

At Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport, Wrap-A-Bag's carry-on box is one of the best-selling items.

"The main thing is if you have too many pieces and you don't have a carry-on, you can take a few items out of your bags and put them in the carry-on," said Thomas Pickens, president and CEO of Wrap-A-Bag.

"Well, it's been extremely convenient because the only thing I had to go with right now is ... a garbage bag, and the airlines weren't willing to accept it," said one traveler of the service.

As you prepare for seasonal travel, remember that you should plan ahead to keep your holiday carry-ons from being grounded.

Based on a report from CNN's Business and Travel and Beyond. The segment appears weekdays on Early Edition at 7 AM (ET) and on Morning News at 10 AM (ET).