Coping with stress becomes important at this time of year, according to Robert Billingham, IU associate professor of applied health science.

"This is the most stressful time of the year, because the holidays create and maintain the image of a perfect family like the old 'Father Knows Best' and 'Leave It to Beaver' television shows," explained Billingham, an expert on family relationships.

"At a time when there are countless less-than-perfect families, the focus is on the illusion of happiness and scenes depicted in Norman Rockwell paintings. Family members become incredibly competitive, and singles and those without children are reminded of their prior status as married and/or parents," he said.

Billingham noted that one course of action is to not attend family events if there is a history of bad experiences. Staying at a motel instead of with the family is another option. "Get a reservation, even if you don't use it, because it gives you a place to escape," he said.

"Most important is to try to remain calm and relaxed, so you don't lose control over circumstances you can't control. Try to be who you are, and don't put on airs about who you might be or want to be. Keep everything in perspective, because it's the illusion that creates the problem."

Scooters, robot puppies and Pokemon may be the hot toys this Christmas, but will any of them have the staying power to become "classics"?

Thomas P. Hustad, professor of marketing and the Kosin Fellow in IU's Kelley School of Business, believes some toys endure as favorites for years because they can be used by children in different ways as they grow older, explore different situations, mature and develop social skills.

Toys based on fads often have one or two limited functions and appeal, Hustad said. For example, one of the disadvantages of robot toys with limited functionality is that they can only be used in a few limited ways. Their play value declines rapidly because they do only a small number of things that quickly become too familiar to many youngsters.

Hustad cited the once wildly popular Tickle Me Elmo toy as another example. It was distinctive and cute, but quickly became predictable.

Other toys, like Pokemon and sports trading cards, provide children multiple opportunities for "fantasy visualization" and can be adapted for multiple purposes, just like such traditional favorites as building blocks, Legos, and many dolls and action figures. The cards and paraphernalia can be collected and used in strategic game playing.

Another factor is whether the toy can be used for groups as well as individuals. PlayStation and other video game units can be used by multiple players, including those who are tied into an Internet connection. Again, this provides new opportunities for toys as children grow and find more uses for the gift.

The holidays are a "make or break" time for many "dot.com" companies, and an IU professor believes that many online retailers aren't hearing the voice of the customer.

"During the last two years, retailers rushed to develop Web sites, fearing that they would be left behind in the digital revolution," said Raymond Burke, the E.W. Kelley professor of business administration at IU.

"Consumers tell us that they are not interested in technology for its own sake. People want the basics in their ideal shopping experience. When shopping online, they look for accurate product and pricing information, convenient and secure ordering, order tracking, reliable delivery and accessible customer service," said Burke, who also directs the Customer Interface Lab, a state-of-the-art facility for investigating how consumers interact with new retailing technologies.

Last year, many e-commerce firms went on a spending spree, offering benefits such as free shipping and deep price discounts to lure customers to their Web sites. "These high acquisition costs were supposed to be offset by the repeat business of loyal shoppers," he said. "But customer loyalty can't be taken for granted. Different shoppers have different needs and wants, and they will go where they are best served. By going after the mass market, these companies guarantee that many shoppers will not be satisfied with the experience. Rather than staying for the long haul, shoppers switch to the first competitor who offers a better deal."

Retailers will find it challenging to compete with last year's banner sales increases and growing concerns about inflation, but most merchants should still enjoy a 3 to 5 percent increase in sales this Christmas, said Theresa D. Williams, director of the Center for Education and Research in Retailing in IU's Kelley School of Business.

"Last year's business was the best we'd had in 15 years," Williams said. In addition to a strong economy, many retailers last year benefitted from purchases made to allay Y2K fears. "They're going up against sales that are distorted because of what happened last year. The current buying patterns are very different."

This year, because of price increases in other sectors of the economy, particularly fuel and heating prices, some retailers are finding that middle-income consumers are taking a more conservative approach to spending and using credit. Williams thinks this trend will not be seen by the leading mass-merchant stores, but will affect some department stores.

"The only exception to that has been consumer electronics. Consumer electronics has been incredible across all price points and hasn't had any real slowdown," she said. Electronics sales have "really been across the board. Consumers are not upgrading computers as much as they're buying peripherals and new software, or new technology items like palm pilots or DVDs."

There may not be a star, but this Christmas will feature an eclipse. On Christmas Day in the morning, almost everyone in North and Central America will get a special present -- a partial eclipse of the sun, according to StarTrak, a monthly astronomy column produced by IU.

The eclipse will start along the West Coast, where it will already be in progress when the sun rises. The farther east you live, the later the eclipse will arrive.

There will not be a total eclipse anywhere on the planet.

The last solar eclipse on Dec. 25 was in 1954, a partial one seen over Africa. There will not be another solar eclipse on Dec. 25 until 2307.

Unfortunately, December is the cloudiest month of the year for much of North America, so it may take a bit of luck to see the eclipse. Hope for a clear sky, at least around the sun, at least while the eclipse lasts.

Holiday party tips to control drinking should be considered by responsible hosts during the upcoming season, according to Ruth Engs, IU professor of applied health science, who has more than 20 years of experience in alcohol research.

"It's important to have plenty of non-alcoholic beverages available, like punch and non-alcoholic beer," Engs said. "You can mix cans of beer with cans of soft drinks in stocking a holiday ice chest."

She said party-goers should not be allowed to pour their own drinks. It also works best to keep the liquor out of sight. Those hosting the event should make sure alcohol is not the focus of the party.

She recommended having plenty of high-protein and low-salt foods and snacks on hand. "You don't want to use salty food like the popcorn, pretzels and peanuts usually found in bars, because they make people thirsty. Push the food, not the alcohol, for your guests, and have a drinking monitor to make sure no one gets out of control with their liquor consumption. It's also important to have a designated driver for those in need, and to provide transportation for those unable to get home safely."

She said guests should have no more than one drink per hour and not be deceived by the type of liquor consumed. "A drink is a drink, whether it is one glass of wine, one glass of beer or one glass of a mixed drink."

The economic expansion will continue into 2001, according to a forecast prepared by economists in IU's Kelley School of Business. The next president of the United States may not have a clear public mandate because of the close election, but he will benefit from a continued strong economy next year.

The United States has enjoyed an economic expansion that began in March 1991, and members of the Kelley School's Business Outlook Panel said this pattern of growth will continue, although at a modestly slower pace than in the previous two years.

"In the past couple of years, it probably has been about as good as it can get. The best we can hope for is more of the same, but a more realistic expectation is that the economy will decelerate to some degree," said R. Jeffery Green, the Kelley School's associate dean for research and operations and co-director of the Indiana Center for Econometric Model Research.

"We expect that output growth over the next year will be at about 3.5 percent. This is significantly below the past year and a little below the previous three years. But this means the economic recovery will continue into a record-setting 11th year," Green said.