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It is the season of comfort, kindness and joy . . . when our thoughts turn to stress, family, lists and shopping, and the word we hear most often — "coping." Following are some suggestions on how to cope with the season.

	Nagging Children and "Must-Have" Gifts Children will be working overtime this season to seal the deal on this year’s “must-have” holiday gifts. ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Marketing Professor Rick Briesch, a father of four, offers 10 tips for parents.
	The Wrapping Matters A now-classic study by ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ marketing professor Daniel Howard holds that giving a gift that has been lovingly wrapped does influence the recipient to value it more.
	Coping with Holiday Stress Hal Barkley, Director of Counseling in ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½'s Simmons School, says not to panic during the holidays — you can survive this. He offers 10 tips for staying calm(er).
	Blended Families With divorce and remarriage “the new normal” in many American families, holidays can be a time for both happiness and struggle for children. Sarah Feuerbacher, director of ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½’s ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ for Family Counseling, offers ten tips she’s learned from counseling blended families.
	Something to Sing About ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Music Professor Martin Sweidel offers his top picks for the holiday season, from Ella Fitzgerald to Paul Simon.
	Job Hunting During the Holidays The holiday season is no reason for job seekers to lose their momentum. Here are five tips from ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½’s Hegi Family Career Development ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ to make the most of the holidays and ring in the new year with a new job.

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• For interviews about these stories, contact ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ News and Communications at 214-768-7650 or news@smu.edu