Feature Channels: Winter Holidays

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University of South Florida sociology professor offers tips on alternative gift strategies and ways to avoid wasteful holiday gift giving.

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University of South Florida religious studies professor addresses the history and changes of American culture and its religious obsession with consuming in his book The Sacred Santa: Religious Dimensions of Consumer Culture.

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The holidays and stress go hand in hand, but when one employee's seasonal tension affects the workplace, everyone suffers.

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While jolly old St. Nicholas is delivering goodies to all the good little boys and girls, his "˜evil twin' may be right on his heels with a sack full of coal. University of South Florida professor offers insight on this and other holiday legends and superstitions.

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University of South Florida professor looks into why traditional holiday films such as "It's a Wonderful Life" stand the test of time.

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Taking care of a VIP "” you "” is a top priority for the holidays, say two Central Michigan University professors.

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It doesn't take a miracle to get through the season's holiday parties with grace and good cheer. P.M. Forni, co-founder of the Johns Hopkins Civility Project, offers tips for a civil celebration of the winter holidays.

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Santa's commercial aspects have a long, glowing history.

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Ball State University experts are available to provide information and background on a variety of holiday issues.

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Syracuse University faculty offer comments on the retail season, holiday rituals, food safety, family issues, and more.

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Thanksgiving is a favorite holiday for some, particularly since it doesn't take quite as much prep-work as December holidays do. But Thanksgiving isn't without its health-hazards. Here are some tips to keep your family safe and healthy this Turkey-day.

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With the holidays approaching, persons with memory impairment or behavioral problems may not feel comfortable in large family gatherings. However, there is much that loved ones can do to make these individuals a part of the holiday celebrations.

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The Chief of Sports Medicine Service for UCSD Healthcare's Department of Orthopaedic Surgery says the barrage happens every year but adds that doesn't have to be the case.

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The Burn Center at Loyola University Medical Center is warning the public about the dangers of space heaters and other electrical appliances used to keep warm during winter cold snaps.

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The Burn Center at Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Ill., is urging the public to be careful when decorating their homes for the holidays because many electrical appliances and seasonal decorations pose a potential fire hazard.

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Caring for a loved one with a serious disease can be both a deeply rewarding and stressful experience, especially during the holidays.

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Now that temperatures are dropping, burns from accidental fires are on the rise. As a major burn center, Loyola University Medical Center sees a substantial rise in the number of patients, especially children, who are burned as a result of accidents with appliances used to keep warm.

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1) Safety is a gift that keeps on giving; 2) Home alone and loss; 3) Keeping holiday pounds away; 4) Coping with holiday blues; 5) Shaping up for an injury-free holiday season.

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1) Will the Real Jesus Please Stand Up?" Joanne Pepper, PhD, discusses artistic portrayals of Jesus in other cultures. 2) "I'm dreaming of a commercial Christmas." Todd Erickson, available to speak on the topic of Christmas and marketing.

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Kissing is the berries. Just don't eat them. Mistletoe is not a deadly poison, but it could make you sick, says biology professor Tom Hemmerly. Like some medicines, keep it beyond the reach of children...

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Safety should be a major consideration as you search for the perfect gift for your children this holiday season.

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Parents need to teach their kids that it truly is better to give than to receive. A case of the gimmies is not a cause for panic. It is important for kids to pay attention to the self, but also to pay attention to others.

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DominoSugar.com offers baking tricks, tips for baking with kids and hundreds of recipes in one easy-to-use site.

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Holiday break is usually the first extended period of time that families with college kids spend together since saying goodbye at the dorm in the early fall. St. Lawrence University Director of Counseling Services has advice and tips for making the holidays happier for the whole family.

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When picking out the perfect tree, consider what you pine for.

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Looking for fun and educational holiday gifts for children? Lesley University is offering its annual tip list for choosing children's software.

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An extraordinary, edible edifice was unveiled at NYIT's de Seversky Center this week in preparation for the holiday season. World-renowned jeweler Theo Faberge of the London-based St. Petersburg Collection collaborated with culinary artisans from NYIT's Culinary Arts Center to create a magical, gingerbread rendering of the elegant de Seversky Center, one of the most magnificent gems on Long Island's fabled Gold Coast.

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Tips and holiay story ideas from MU faculty: 1) Tackling holiday shopping; 2) Making the holidays happy for children of divorced parents; 3) Successfully avoiding holiday burnout; 4) Traveling with pets stress-free; 5) Picking the perfect tree.

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Rich, sugary holiday foods offer a special challenge for people with diabetes. The Director of the Comprehensive Diabetes Outpatient Program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center offers tips that help people with diabetes make healthful choices during the holidays.

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Now is the time when everyone starts thinking about preparing the house and yard for the upcoming holiday season. Whether it is installing the storm windows, placing seasonal decorations, raking leaves, or trimming the tree, one of the first tools that homeowners reach for is a ladder.

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Colgate University psychology professor Regina Conti is available to discuss procrastination as it relates to holiday preparations -- why people wait until the last minute to buy gifts, send cards and prepare meals?

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Don't let the first heavy snowfall give you a pain in the back. "Warm up" your muscles before you start shoveling snow and use correct techniques to lift and move the snow.

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How do you fit in at holiday parties when you're on a special diet or are simply trying to eat healthy? How do you avoid putting a damper on the party?

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Eating out doesn't have to mean unhealthy eating, says a Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center nutritionist.

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The holidays are an exciting, emotional time, but take time to observe some basic holiday safety tips suggested by our experts at UCSD Medical Center.

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The holidays are exciting and emotional times. These holiday health tips from UCSD Medical Center can help make your holidays healthier and happier.

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Whether the pet is a dog, a bird or even a snake, cold-weather temperatures can take their toll. If it's too cold for you, it's generally too cold for your pet.

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Pets, like humans, can feel the stress of the holidays, whether involved in family travel plans or left at home.

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While Christmas, by its very name, reflects the holiday's roots in Christianity, some of its traditions are traced to decidedly secular influences.

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Sunscreen and skin safety are not just for summer time, a Mississippi State University health education specialist says.

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The family cook has spent the last few days preparing for the traditional Thanksgiving feast. The bird is roasted, the yams are baked and the stuffing is stuffed. Everything is perfect. Or is it? Later, the whole family is trying to see who can make it to the bathroom first. Welcome to a cook's worst nightmare: food poisoning.

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In addition to what is available during the academic year, Colorado College students find additional opportunities for hands-on study during the "half-block" offered in January, this year running from January 6 through January 16.

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The release provides tips on alternative holiday gifts to avoid overspending and enhance the giving experience. Also listed is a researcher available to discuss any aspect of family relationships, including coping with stress, depression, etc.

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Tired of seeing Christmas decorations in the mall before you've finished your Halloween candy? Already dreading that long trip to Grandma's house with the kids? No holiday bonus this year? Florida State University experts can shed some light on recent holiday trends and offer advice that will help your readers skate through the season.

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Speak with NYU School of Medicine's academic researchers for tips on how to beat out winter sickness. Our clinicians can give various ways to stay healthy and happy during this winter season.

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A new understanding of grief and loss has led to new suggestions about how to comfort the bereaved as they experience the painful reminders of loss at the holidays.

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1) Making New Year's Resolutions as a Family; 2) Tis the Season...to Trim Taxes 3) Is it Possible to Eat Healthy During the Holidays? 4) Holidays Overshadow Non-Christian Traditions; 5) How to Teach Children about Getting and Giving.

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Advice for Holiday Season - Experts from University of Maryland.

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No one ever said the holidays were a perfect time of year, just a time of year when we want everything to be perfect. We want to eat at the feast without getting fat. We want to spread the joy of the season but don't exactly know how to start. Temple University experts can provide expert analysis on these and a host of other issues related to the end-of-the-year, holiday blitz.