Feature Channels: Winter Holidays

• share
• favorite_border

• share
• favorite_border

By: Stephen Stone | Published: November 19, 2024 | 12:29 pm | SHARE: It used to be a single day. Now it’s an entire month.Changing consumer habits have allowed retailers to kick off the holiday shopping season earlier, rolling out deals throughout the month of November or even before, instead of waiting for the day after Thanksgiving, known as Black Friday, to showcase “doorbuster” sales.

• share
• favorite_border

• share
• favorite_border

Meals at Thanksgiving and other holidays serve as great social occasions for catching up with family and friends — and for the sake of all gathered, the culinary delights on the table should be delicious, sumptuous, and most importantly, safe.   Melissa Wright, director of Virginia Tech’s Food Producer Technical Assistance Network, and Lester Schonberger, associate Extension specialist, are both faculty members in the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' Department of Food Science and Technology and know exactly what you can do to reduce your risk of foodborne illness this holiday season.

• share
• favorite_border

Nobody enjoys sitting in traffic, especially during the holidays. Hesham Rakha, director for the Center for Sustainable Mobility at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, said if you are going to avoid traffic when traveling for Thanksgiving and Christmas, “you’re going to have to make some sacrifices.” “You have to choose temporal times where people don’t want to travel,” Rakha said.

• share
• favorite_border

• share
• favorite_border

• share
• favorite_border

The election is over, but conversations surrounding the outcome are sure to continue for weeks to come. With Thanksgiving right around the corner, knowing how to engage with friends and family members with differing political views may help keep tempers at bay – and relationships intact. Virginia Tech expert Todd Schenk shared his advice for how to keep the peace.

• share
• favorite_border

What will my grocery bill be this holiday season?

• share
• favorite_border

• share
• favorite_border

On Valentine’s Day, people celebrate their relationships with friends, family, or a significant other. Often, the expression of affection involves monetary expenditures. Jadrian Wooten, a Virginia Tech professor in the Department of Economics, provides valuable insight on effectively managing a budget around the holiday. “People should start by determining a realistic amount they can afford to spend on gifts, activities, or experiences for their loved ones,” said Wooten.

• share
• favorite_border

As Valentine's Day approaches, you may be planning to enjoy some chocolates and candies. While these sweet treats delight us, they can pose significant risks to our pets. Understanding what's enjoyable for us but might be harmful for our furry friends is important during this sweet holiday.   “As pet owners, we understand how tempting it can be to share treats with your pets.

• share
• favorite_border

The ‘5 Love Languages’ popularized by Gary Chapman often get brought up when discussing relationships, but this Valentine’s Day one Virginia Tech psychologist suggests taking a different approach to fostering and nurturing high-quality, loving relationships. To understand Louis Hickman’s perspective, it’s important to also understand the love languages.

• share
• favorite_border

Experts on potential for injury when starting new exercise routine surrounding the new year and resolutions.

• share
• favorite_border

Wars abroad. Struggles at home, including record-setting inflation and political polarization. Although the holiday season can trigger a range of emotions, this year may feel especially challenging.

• share
• favorite_border

• share
• favorite_border

• share
• favorite_border

Every December for 15 years, Jack Cawthon picked up his guitar and sang “Holly Jolly Christmas” while he handed out bonus checks and gifts to his employees at Jack’s Bar-B-Que.

• share
• favorite_border

A “Holiday Lights and Love Caravan” vehicle parade to provide holiday cheer for patients and staff.