Holiday Tip Sheet

Washington University in St. Louis experts offer timely tips on a range of holiday news topics, including several stories with downloadable broadcast-quality video. All of our experts are available for live or taped interviews from our ISDN/Vyvex-equipped broadcast studio. For assistance, please contact Gerry Everding at (314) 935-6375 or gerry_everding@wustl.edu.

It's possible to keep diet intact during the holidays. VIDEO AVAILABLE: Your leftover Halloween candy is almost gone from your cupboards, and the holiday season with all its sweet temptations has begun. However, all those holiday parties and office gatherings laden with scrumptious food and drink don't have to mean the end of your weight loss plan. It's still possible to enjoy the bounty and not feel deprived of your favorite holiday dishes, says Connie Diekman, director of University Nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis. Video and more

Parent/child interaction with a toy key to inciting learning. VIDEO AVAILABLE: Finding the perfect holiday gift for everyone on your list can be a difficult task. It can be especially tough for parents of young children. Toys are the obvious choice, but with so many out there, how do parents choose the right ones for their children, and is it possible for toys to have some educational benefit as well? R. Keith Sawyer, Ph.D., associate professor of education in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, offers advice to parents worried about making the right toy choice for their children. Video and more

Study finds that the larger the bill, the smaller the tip percentage. VIDEO AVAILABLE: With the holiday season fast approaching, Americans are grappling more than ever with what's appropriate when it comes to rewarding service providers with tips, gifts and other token gratuities, suggests Leonard Green, a psychology professor who studies tipping behavior at Washington University in St. Louis. Video and more

December is the month when most people scramble to find gifts for their friends and family. In the process, many decide to treat themselves to a gift as well — especially when they notice that something they've wanted is now on "sale." According to a business professor at Washington University in St. Louis, most people have an easier time justifying an indulgent purchase when there is the promise of saving money, especially when it is in the form of an unexpected discount or rebate. The catch is that frequently customers aren't saving as much money as they might think. More...

Students may come home exhausted from the stress of final exams. When college students return home for their winter break, it can be an adjustment for the entire family. While parents may have preconceived ideas about how the family will spend the holidays, students are anxious to try out their newfound independence. "The winter break is the first extended time at home for most freshmen since they left for college in the summer," says Karen Levin Coburn, associate vice chancellor for students and dean of the freshman transition at Washington University in St. Louis. "The first semester at college may have been their first glimpse of freedom. They wonder if it is possible to go home and still maintain their newfound independence." More...