TORONTO, December 21, 2000 -- With the frenzy that accompanies Christmas and Hanukkah -- last minute shopping, crowded airports, office parties, preparing the family feast – York University professors offer insights into the holiday season hustle.

Christmas Day Solar Eclipse: Weather permitting, people across North America on Dec. 25 will be able to witness a partial solar eclipse. York Astronomy Professor Paul Delaney is available to explain this rare phenomenon as well as other aspects of the winter sky. He says that star gazers are in for a further treat this holiday season with the planets Jupiter and Saturn visible in the east and Venus in the west. Delaney can be reached (416) 736-2100, ext. 33959, at home (905) 729-2871, or by e-mail: pdelaney@yorku.ca.

Unwanted/Unsuitable Gifts: Don’t quite know what to do with that pair of thong underwear? Not exactly thrilled by that new car muffler under the tree? Eileen Fischer, a marketing professor in York’s Schulich School of Business says there are complex underlying motivations for gift giving that reinforce relationships and often denote the level of affection people have towards one another. Fischer can be reached at (416) 736-2100 ext. 77957, at home (416) 486-0994, or by e-mail: efischer@schulich.yorku.ca.

Cyber Pooches: Robotic Dogs are in this Christmas, says York Adjunct Film Professor Paul Hoffert, an expert on technology and culture. "It won’t pull you from a burning building, or keep your feet warm at night, but at least you don’t have to walk it outside in the snow or scoop its poop." Hoffert says portable MP3 players, wireless e-mail devices, and DVD’s are also popular items this season. Hoffert can be reached at (416) 560-6732, or e-mail: polibop@yorku.ca.

Post-Holiday Credit Card Debt: If you went overboard on charging purchases to your credit card this season, you’re not alone, says Moshe Milevsky, a finance professor at York University's Schulich School of Business. Milevsky says many Canadians carry a monthly balance on their credit cards and often find themselves in a tight financial squeeze when the bills for Christmas purchases start to roll in come January. He urges people to stay within their budgets, use cash for purchases when possible, and pay down outstanding credit card balances. Milevsky, who has written extensively on personal finance, can be reached at (416) 736-2100, ext. 66014, or by e-mail: mmilevsk@schulich.yorku.ca.

Food and Rituals: Christmas, Hanukkah and Eid, which marks the end of Ramadan, combine food and religious rituals. "Food touches everything important to people, making social differences and strengthening social bonds," says York Anthropology Prof. Penny Van Esterik. "Common to all peoples, food can nonetheless symbolize very different things from table to table." Van Esterik, who co-edited with Carole Counihan Food And Culture: A Reader (1997), can be reached at (416) 736-2100, ext. 77782, at home (416) 248-4348, or by e-mail: esterik@yorku.ca.

Cell Phone Hands-free Car Kits: "Act responsibly. Use that cell phone you got under the tree sparingly when you drive," says York Psychology Professor David Wiesenthal, an expert on road rage and aggressive driver behaviour. Wiesenthal says many accidents and incidents of road rage are caused by inattentive drivers on the phone. "Pull off into a parking lot or use a hands-free car kit to make that important call," he says. Wiesenthal adds that cell phones used in a safe manner should actually reduce stress and erratic driving because they allow drivers stuck in traffic to notify people that they are delayed. Wiesenthal can be reached at (416) 736-2100, ext. 30114, or by e-mail: davidw@yorku.ca.

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For more information or additional experts, please call:

Ken Turriff
Media Relations
York University
(416) 736-2100, ext. 22086
e-mail: kturriff@yorku.ca
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