Feature Channels: Winter Holidays

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Physicians have long recognized a “holiday bump” in the number of heart attacks at this time of year.

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Charles Dickens' classic novella "A Christmas Carol" was written 170 years ago. Kansas State University's Naomi Wood and Dan Hoyt look at why the story about the penny-pinching, Christmas-hating Ebenezer Scrooge remains so popular today.

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Tufts University child development expert George Scarlett recommends ways that parents can help their children and themselves navigate the holidays more successfully.

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Healthy Helpings … and a Few Tasty Transgressions, published by the School of Public Health’s student organization, offers more than 100 recipes to raise funds for local and national causes.

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Indulgences abound during the holidays—from family gatherings to parties with friends and even stockings stuffed with goodies from Santa. For children with diabetes, overindulging on the delicacies of the season could result in more than a stomach ache, it could mean a trip to the emergency room.

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Expert shares quick, fun list of tips to avoid holiday-induced meltdowns

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These pressures are particularly palpable during the holiday season. We often think our kids will be disappointed if we can’t measure up to their expectations at the holidays, and when we think it’s our job to keep them happy, we shudder at the thought of disappointing them. Dr. Aaron Cooper, PhD, licensed clinical psychologist at The Family Institute at Northwestern University and author of I Just Want My Kids To Be Happy (Late August Press, 2008), provides expert tips to parents as they set and manage their children’s expectations during the holidays.

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Politics and religion are considered unsafe topics of conversation at parties. This holiday season, experts at UAB say avoiding one other topic – weight – can help everyone be more merry and bright.

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Cold winds, icy rain and, in some places, snow—Old Man Winter is here. With the snowball fights, snow forts and snowy hills come some serious dangers. In addition to ducking from flying snow balls and avoiding out-of-control skiers, parents need to be on the lookout for dangerously low body temperatures and frostbite related to cold weather exposure.

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With all of the talk about the growing success of Cyber Monday sales, an Indiana University retailing expert suggests that traditional retailers are closing the gap with online retailers such as Amazon.com.

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Feature story about health care issues Pennsylvania emergency room physicians see during the December holiday season.

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Attracted by the decadent treats, fried meats, and festive cocktails of the Thanksgiving-to-New-Year feast, heartburn can be an unwelcome guest during the holidays.

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Saint Louis University experts offer two ways to battle the holiday bulge.

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The holidays often bring freezing temperatures, limited sleep, sugary treats and cocktails. This combination can spell trouble for your skin, according to a dermatologist at Loyola University Health System.

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As parents across the Chicago area prepare to take that perfect holiday photo to send to family and friends, they may want to consider more than just getting their kids to smile and look at the camera. Certain skin ailments can flare up in kids this time of year. Loyola University Health System pediatric dermatologists Wendy Schumacher-Kim, DO, and Lily Uihlein, MD, offer the following tips to curb these common conditions and leave your little ones picture perfect this holiday season.

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With Black Friday, Cyber Monday and holiday shopping season about to start, a new customer-rage study shows more American consumers than ever are dissatisfied with the products and services we buy. Also, despite companies’ big-money efforts to create customer-care programs, we’re less happy with the service received when we complain. The study shows 56 million American households experienced at least one problem during the past 12 months, and about $76 billion in revenue was at stake for the businesses involved.

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Varleisha Gibbs OTD, OTR/L, director of doctoral projects and assistant professor of occupational therapy at University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, said attempting to coordinate a child’s sensory, dietary, and energy needs while traveling can make a holiday getaway seem like a full-time job.

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Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful, to be with family and friends and to enjoy good food. A Vanderbilt dietitian says that making sure the food you serve is prepared and stored properly can ensure that everyone has a safe and healthy experience.

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The American Sociological Association (ASA) has sociologists available to discuss various aspects of the holiday shopping season.

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Frigid weather and sloppy precipitation are enough to send even the calmest person racing to find shelter. Combine the climate with busy schedules, and frantic Christmas shoppers and you have a recipe for danger during the slippery season.

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Saint Louis University germ expert offers food safety tips for a healthy Thanksgiving dinner.

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Add colorful fruits and vegetables to make Thanksgiving dinner healthier and lighter, a Saint Louis University assistant professor of nutrition and dietetics suggests.

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For many the holidays are a time of stress, loneliness, anxiety and dysfunction. E. Christine Moll, PhD, offers ways to practice "safe stress" during the holiday season.

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The holiday season can gift you with more than you’ve wished for if you have allergies and asthma. Holiday traditions, such as Christmas trees, menorahs and poinsettia plants can cause symptoms. Those hosting holiday gatherings can also unknowingly present guests with the gift of sneeze.

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Butler University market professor Kate King says retailers need to adapt to young shoppers.

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Lisa Hoglund, PT, PhD, assistant professor of the Department of Physical Therapy at University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, said many factors that contribute to seasonal aches and pains can be avoided by practicing good posture and stretching.

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Thanksgiving Day has more than double the number of home cooking fires than an average day according to the U.S. Fire Administration. More than 4,000 fires occur annually on Thanksgiving Day as celebrants deep fry turkeys, boil potatoes, bake pies and more. “Cooking remains a major mechanism of injuries for adults, and for children who are underfoot,” said Dr. Richard L. Gamelli, director of the Burn & Shock Trauma Research Institute, Chief of the Burn Unit and senior vice president and provost of health sciences at Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago.

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The day before Thanksgiving, nicknamed Black Wednesday, is a time when college students are home and reunite with friends over beers or alcoholic beverages in bars and restaurants. But what often starts out as a joyous celebration all too often ends up as a senseless tragedy. "Thanksgiving is all about being together and celebrating with family and friends. No one wants to ruin those happy memories with a visit to the emergency department,” says Mark Cichon, chair of the Division of Emergency Services at Loyola University Health System.

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Most people think about deep vein thrombosis when they hop on a plane or get in the car for long holiday trips. However, not paying attention to the warning signs could be fatal.

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In an America shaped by Currier and Ives lithographs and Norman Rockwell paintings, the holiday season is supposed to be one of warmth, love and good cheer. For too many Americans, however, it can be a time of sadness and grief, says University of Alabama at Birmingham psychologist Josh Klapow, Ph.D.

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For families living with Alzheimer’s, finding joy during the holidays can be challenging. By managing expectations and planning early, holidays can still be happy and memorable for every family.

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Winnie Palmer Hospital saw 50 Percent fewer late pre-term babies admitted into the NICU after a reduction in early elective deliveries. Added benefits were seen in reduced healthcare costs and morbidities.