Can I bring wrapped gifts in my carry on with no problem or will they make me unwrap them?

You would be doing this at your own risk; chances are you would be fine, but if there is anything that would cause a screener to "pull you over" you may be asked to unwrap the gift.

Thanks. That was what I was hoping for. I just wanted to make sure there was no absolute rule that ALL gifts would be unwrapped.

The question of wrapped packages is not a new situation. Several years ago I had wrapped a piece of glass sculpture - about 6" square. It was from the type of store that when you see the wrapping paper, you know that the gift is going to be good! Well, the baggage checker questioned it, and I had to rip off the paper! It taught me a lesson!

Beware of wrapping lead crystal! Once my husband carried-on a really pretty crystal for hanging in a window, and in the x-ray machine it looked like a dagger. The lead is the problem.

Look, just don't wrap anything you carry on! Just don't do it! If you bet you won't be asked to unwrap it and you lose that bet, you'll be disgruntled, when in fact there has been a lot of publicity over the fact that airport security has the right to ask you to unwrap a wrapped package and travel experts recommend therefore that you leave gifts unwrapped. I HATE seeing people get hot and bothered at security over stuff they should have known and prepared for. And how annoyed do you think the security folks are at seeing all you would-be Santas show up with wrapped gifts, contrary to all reason??

As copied from an email from continental.com:
Holiday Travel Tips


If you are traveling over the holiday season, be sure to check continental.com for timesaving tips and up-to-date travel information. It's the best place to go. Before you go.

Top 3 Travel Tips from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA):

Review TSA’s list of permitted and prohibited items.
Travel with your gifts and packages unwrapped.
Pack film in your carry-on.

Airlines have been asking us for years to not wrap gifts. So please do not attempt to go through security with wrapped gifts. It's simply not worth the risk.

xxx, please rethink taking wrapped packages. Although you COULD get by with them ,you would also be incoveniencing hundreds or thousands of other passengers. If they only take an extra two minutes to look over your luggage and that of everyone else who thinks they can get away with it---well, that's why people end up being told to come to the airport 2 or more hours in advance.

Happy [unwrapped] holidays!