HOLIDAY TIPS 2005
'Tis the season for celebrating family and giving thanks for another year that has passed. To help your audience experience the best that this season offers, use this guide to story ideas and expert sources from the University of Missouri-Columbia. For more information, contact the sources listed or call the MU News Bureau at (573) 882-6211. Also, check out the MU News Bureau's searchable experts guide and MU news online at http://www.missouri.edu/~news.
IN THIS ISSUE: "¢ How to prepare for the biggest shopping day of the year"¢ Take the stress out of the holiday season"¢ How to make the holiday bright for children of divorced parents"¢ 'Tis the season for cold and flu"¢ Get Fluffy and Fido ready for Winter"¢ Stress-free traveling with pets"¢ Picking the perfect Christmas tree
Black Friday Descends the Day After Thanksgiving
It's 6 a.m. on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Parking lots are packed and customers are eagerly awaiting the opening of doors at toy stores and malls. Welcome to the holiday shopping season. For many, the day after Thanksgiving, commonly known among retailers as "Black Friday," is a shopping tradition and also is a time to secure great deals on Christmas gifts for loved ones.
"For many retailers, the largest percentage of their sales come from the fourth quarter," says Pamela Norum, associate professor of textiles and apparel. "The use of promotions entices consumers out to the malls and into the stores."
Norum offers the following advice about the holiday shopping season:
"¢ Come prepared. To get the best deals, consumers should have a list of what they want to buy in order to limit impulse buying and to comparison shop. Shoppers also should be aware that many items will have their prices slashed closer to Christmas. "¢ Beware of bargains. A great bargain isn't necessarily a great buy. Consumers should remember that it really isn't a bargain if they are purchasing something they don't really need just because it has a great price. "¢ Sales are plentiful if you know where to look. Many retailers offer sales on the day after Thanksgiving to attract customers to their stores. Stores that use price promotions throughout the year are more likely to offer sale prices on Black Friday.
The term Black Friday refers to a time when retailers spent most of the year in "red ink" and count on the day after Thanksgiving to get them back in the "black."
Potatoes Boiling Over? They May Not Be Alone"¦MU Professor Offers Tips to Take the Stress Out of the Season
While many of us know a superwoman who seems effortlessly to juggle holiday obligations, this may only be a façade, according to Laurie Mintz, associate professor of educational and counseling psychology. The "happy faces" that many wear to hide their stress during the holidays often increases holiday stress for others, by perpetuating the myth that the holidays are a stress-free time. Mintz offers several tips to help women strike a healthy balance during the holidays:
"¢ Determine what the expectations are for the holidays and whether they should be lowered. "Do you have to create a delicious meal and serve it with a warm glow of holiday cheer?" Mintz asked. "Or at the other extreme, would you be satisfied if no one gets food poisoning, and you are able to finish the meal without a fight?" "¢ Anticipate what aspects will cause stress and prepare mentally. If possible, adjust plans to avoid this stress. For example, purchase a pie at a local bakery to save cooking time. "¢ Share negative feelings with others. Friends and family will approach their own holidays more realistically if they know that everyone is experiencing many of the same difficulties they face. "¢ Remember to stick with the stress management routine that works for you the rest of the year. "¢ Expect stress. Expecting the holidays to be blissful can create disappointments.
Keeping Holidays Merry for Children of Divorced Parents
The holidays can be a stressful and complicated time for children of divorced parents. They might feel they aren't able to please everyone because they can't be in two places at once. If they spend a major holiday with one parent, they worry that the other parent will feel sad or abandoned. Marilyn Coleman, professor of human development and family studies at the University of Missouri-Columbia and an expert on divorce and stepfamilies, has a solution to help make this time of year merrier for these children.
She recommends having parents create a separate holiday that can be theirs and theirs alone, in addition to Christmas or Hannukah, so that children won't feel guilty for spending time with one parent but not the other. Coleman says this can be a less popular holiday such as Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day or an entirely new one.
"¢ "Both parents want the children for the entire holiday and so the children feel that no matter what they do they are disappointing the people who matter most to them," Coleman said. "These children are in a no-win situation unless their parents agree, at least temporarily, to put aside differences and make a mutual effort not to manipulate the kids."
Coleman has written several publications about her research on how stepfamilies can become effective, satisfying units for children and adults. Her on-going research focuses on women's experiences in remarriage and stepfamilies. In 1999, she published data on family responsibilities in the book, Changing Families, Changing Responsibilities: Family Obligations Following Divorce and Remarriage.
'Tis the Season for Cold and Flu
The viruses and bacteria that cause the common cold are around all year. People are more likely to be exposed in the winter and around the holidays because they spend more time indoors and within close contact with others. Antibiotics will not help someone with the common cold or the flu. University of Missouri-Columbia Health Professions Extension experts offer the following prevention tips:
"¢ Eat right, exercise and manage stress. "¢ Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Stay home when sick to protect others."¢ Cover mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing."¢ Wash hands often to get rid of germs."¢ Follow the advice of health care providers that has been individualized for your situation.
Remember, the common cold can make a person feel miserable, but serious complications are not common in healthy adults. Pneumonia is a serious complication of the flu. Those most vulnerable to catching pneumonia are children under the age of four, older adults and persons with conditions that compromise their immune system, such as AIDS, diabetes and asthma.
Winterizing Your Pets
The following are tips for taking care of pets in the winter, from the University of Missouri-Columbia College of Veterinary Medicine:
"¢ Outdoor dogs need more food in the winter to maintain normal body temperature."¢ Prevent drinking water from freezing for outdoor dogs by keeping it in a heated enclosure or purchasing a water bowl heater."¢ Check outdoor shelters for a water-resistant door flap and soft, clean bedding that pets can't shred or drag out of the house."¢ If a dog's winter hair coat seems dry, combat the problem by bathing them less frequently and using a bath oil spray or humectant spray."¢ Even when it is cold outside, regular exercise like outdoor walks are essential for any indoor dog's health. Short-haired dogs may need a dog coat or jacket in extremely cold weather. "¢ Make sure dog's feet are free of snow, ice and salt to prevent skin irritation.
Consult a veterinarian for advice specific for maintaining your pet's health. Additional medical advice and services are available at the University of Missouri Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. Call 573-882-7821 for an appointment or visit http://www.cvm.missouri.edu.
Holiday Trips with Fluffy and Fido
The following are tips for traveling with pets from the University of Missouri-Columbia College of Veterinary Medicine:
"¢ Puppies and kittens younger than eight weeks old and pets with severe or contagious illness should definitely not travel."¢ Use a crate big enough for a pet to stand up and turn around, that is ventilated and has a lead-proof bottom. Get a pet accustomed to the crate in advance by feeding treats and taking the pet for short car trips in the crate."¢ When traveling with pets in the car, stop every two hours for a brief walk and drink."¢ Do not feed a pet six to 12 hours before travel."¢ Use tranquilizers only for pets that are repeatedly very nervous, but otherwise in excellent heath."¢ Call hotels and motels in advance to check their pet policy."¢ Take photos along in case a pet escapes and animal control officers must be notified.
Consult a veterinarian for specific advice for maintaining your pet's health. Additional medical advice and services are available at the University of Missouri Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. Call 573-882-7821 for an appointment or visit http://www.cvm.missouri.edu.
Picking the Perfect Christmas tree
Because the Christmas tree often serves as the centerpiece of holiday festivities, a great deal of time can be spent searching for the perfect one. Most people want to know how to make sure they are picking a good tree and how to make it last. Hank Stelzer, associate professor of forestry at the University of Missouri-Columbia, offers the following tips for picking a Christmas tree: "¢ Water is the key to making a tree last through the season. Make a horizontal cut half an inch from the bottom and immediately place it in water. Be sure the water level never falls below the bottom of the trunk. A tree kept in water should last four to five weeks. "¢ Use the "freshness test" when picking a tree. Gently grasp a branch between the thumb and forefinger and pull it forward. Very few needles come off a fresh tree. If the tree has been cut, shake or bounce it on the stump. An excessive amount of green needles falling to the ground is a sign it is not fresh."¢ When selecting a spot for the tree, do not place it next to a fireplace or wood stove or above a heating vent. The hot air will cause the tree to dry out faster. "¢ Remove trees from the home once they fail the freshness test. If there is no recycling program for trees, place it in the backyard with bread in the branches for birds. "¢ Christmas trees grow about a foot a year. A small apartment-size tree needs about four to five years, a tree for a standard size living room takes about seven to eight years and a tree for rooms with cathedral ceilings must grow for nine to 12 years.
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