"Family's annual holiday rituals contribute to memorable and enjoyable holiday"Expert: Professor Barbara Fiese emphasizes importance of continuing and creating new holiday rituals "Holiday times are often portrayed as stressful times for families. My research has found that family rituals may provide feelings of belonging and closeness related to mental and physical health," according to Barbara Fiese, professor and department chair of psychology in The College of Arts and Sciences at Syracuse University.
Fiese's research found that family routines and rituals are important to the health and well-being of today's busy families, according to a review of 32 studies over the past 50 years. Common family routines include dinnertime and bedtime ceremonies; family rituals include holidays and reunions. "Rituals are particularly important and convey that 'this is who we are' as a group and provide continuity in meaning across generations," according to Fiese. Her research was published in the Journal of Family Psychology.
"Will it be a merry retail season?"Expert: Amanda Nicholson,associate professor of retail, College of Visual and Performing Arts
Will online sales be the brightest star on the shopping horizon? What does the holiday season look like for brick and mortar retailing? Are consumers willing to spend a little more this year than last? As associate professor of retail, Nicholson can address the 2004 holiday shopping trends.
Nicholson spent 20 years in the retail management field before entering higher education. She began her career with Marks & Spencer in London and then moved to Chicago to work in a variety of department store management positions. Her research interests include the preparation of students with appropriate skills for industry, developing student leadership skills, and the role of communications in the retention of retail employees. She teaches a variety of courses in the retail area including Retailing Fundamentals, E-tailing as a Marketing Tool, and Retail Sales Management. Expertise: Communications, employee retention, executive development.
"There's no place like home for the holidays"¦or food borne illness"Expert: Professor and food service expert Norm Faiola offers tips on safe holiday meal preparation Setting a nice table and serving memorable food to family and friends is usually an important part of our holiday goals. Keep the food memorable by maintaining it in a safe manner. A centerpiece of many family meals is roasted poultry and in many cases a turkey. Here are some pointers to keep in mind, according to Norm Faiola, Associate Professor and Chair of the Nutrition and Hospitality Management College of Syracuse University:
- If you purchased a frozen bird, be careful as you defrost him/her to minimize the risk of dripping "run-off" contaminating other items in your refrigerator.
- Carefully wash and sanitize all surfaces that have come in contact with the turkey and the "splash" during preparation including the sinks, counters, utensils and especially your hands.
- DO NOT stuff the turkey before you cook it-- bacteria get a good start in the stuffing and you have to cook the meat far too much to get the stuffing to 165F.
- If you want the "stuffed look" add cooked stuffing to the cavity after the turkey has reached the proper final temperature.
- Purchase a good quality food thermometer and use it.
- Plan ahead so you can enjoy the season with family and friends. Cook and freeze items so you will have minimal preparation at any one time.
- Be safe with cooking... Keep food hot or cold, but not WARM.
- If you use sponges in your house STOP. They cannot be effectively cleaned and sanitized. Buy two dozen white washcloths, use them, throw them in a pail and wash them in the washing machine with hot water and bleach.
Faiola has invented several important devices now widely used in the foodservice industry. In 1991, Faiola patented the Rapi-Kool, a device that rapidly cools food in order to help prevent the growth of the bacteria that causes foodborne illness. In 1997, he patented the Stir Station, an automated mechanical device that moves the Rapi-Kool, eliminating the need to operate it manually. In 1999, he developed a wireless temperature monitoring system for refrigeration, hot holding, and cooking equipment.
"Grandparents at the holidays bond together families"Expert: Professor Alan Taylor emphasizes importance of the grandparent, parent, child relationship at the holidays "Grandparents can play an important role during the holidays. When grandparents participate in holiday activities and interactions with their own children and grandchildren, family and personal stress can be alleviated. Unfortunately, some grandparents perform certain roles and activities during this time of year that can cause greater family and personal stress on themselves and on their loved ones. Many times, grandparents cause this stress without ever knowing it. It is important for grandparents to know and understand how they can have a helpful/positive impact on their loved ones. Parents can also make extra efforts to include the grandparents in their holiday celebrations, not only to strengthen grandchild-grandparent relationships, but also to help grandparents to feel loved, wanted and appreciated," according to Alan Taylor, assistant professor of child and family studies at Syracuse University's College of Human Services and Health Professions.
Taylor can comment on the specific actions and roles that grandparents perform that can cause stress or be considered helpful and positive to families during the holiday season.
"November 1"¦ Happy holidays!"Expert: Popular culture expert Robert Thompson comments on expanded holiday season "The city center that is 'The Holidays' in America used to be the week encompassing Christmas and New Year's. Urban sprawl, however, absorbed Thanksgiving, making that the opening of the holiday season, and then in the last decade, the holidays have spread all the way back to Halloween. Each of these four major holidays have distinct historical origins, all of which have been adapted for the modern consumer culture of America. As the Catholic church adapted ancient holidays for their own uses, modern American culture has done the same for its own uses," according to Robert J. Thompson, professor of media studies and popular culture and founding director of the Center for the Study of Popular Culture.
Thompson is a Trustee Professor of Television and Popular Culture at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. He was a visiting professor for six summers at Cornell University and served for nine years as professor and director of the N.H.S.I. Television and Film Institute at Northwestern University. Professor Thompson is the general editor of an ongoing series of books about television published by Syracuse University Press. He is the former president of the National Popular Culture Association. In 1991 and 1992, he was awarded the Stephen H. Coltrin Award for Excellence in Communication Theory by the International Radio & Television Society. Thompson is the author or editor of "Television's Second Golden Age" (Continuum, 1996), "Prime Time, Prime Movers" (Little, Brown, 1992), "Adventures on Prime Time" (Praeger, 1990), and "Television Studies" (Praeger 1989).
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