18 Nov 2025
The holidays can be joyful, stressful and everything in between. Whether you’re planning travel, watching your budget, keeping pets safe, or juggling family routines, Virginia Tech experts are sharing insight to help you get through the season with fewer surprises. To schedule an interview, email the Media Relations team at mediarelations@vt.edu.
Nobody enjoys sitting in traffic, especially during the holidays. Hesham Rakha, director for the Center for Sustainable Mobility at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute and the Samuel Reynolds Pritchard Professor of Engineering in the Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, says if you are going to avoid traffic when traveling for Thanksgiving and Christmas, “you’re going to have to make some sacrifices.” The ideal time to travel is when everyone else has already reached their destinations. For many people, though, traveling on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day isn’t an option. Rakha suggests going earlier in the month to celebrate Christmas — like Dec. 19 or 20 — or during the early morning hours, as opposed to peak morning drive times, which usually occur from 6 to 9 a.m. “You’re trying to spread out the demand over time, then that reduces the load on your transportation system." More here.
Food safety experts Melissa Wright, Lester Schonberger, and Alexis Hamilton from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Department of Food Science and Technology outline what families need to know to keep holiday meals safe. “Depending on your holiday food of choice – whether it’s meat, poultry, seafood, or vegetarian – the key is to keep food out of the danger zone, which is the temperature between 41 and 135 degrees," says Hamilton. "It’s important that foods pass through this range as quickly as possible. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold." Wright adds that using a thermometer is essential. “Measuring the internal temperature of cooked foods is an important part of food safety," she says. "Measurements should be taken with a food thermometer. You can order one from Amazon today and have it in time for Thanksgiving.” More here
As the holiday season gears up, Virginia Tech experts say budgeting early can help shoppers stay on track. “Shoppers need lists of recipients and gifts, prioritizing essential items, and tracking expenses to avoid overspending,” says Jadrian Wooten, collegiate associate professor in the Department of Economics. “It’s tempting to be lured by good deals and go off budget, but staying disciplined is incredibly important. In reality, sticking to a budgeted plan is a wiser choice.” Finance expert Jesse Lineberry adds that “if you’re having a hard time budgeting for gifts this year, consider making crafts or building gifts instead of purchasing items at the store” and encourages people to “avoid buying gifts with interest-bearing debt” whenever possible. More here.
Online deals are surging ahead of Black Friday, and so are scams aimed at hurried shoppers. Virginia Tech cybercrime expert Katalin Parti, assistant professor in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, says criminals are capitalizing on pop-ups, fake emails, and spoofed websites that look increasingly legitimate. “Misspellings, low-quality logos, and requests for personal information are all red flags,” says Parti, noting that even experienced online shoppers can be tripped up. She urges consumers to avoid clicking unsolicited links, resist remote-access requests, and rely on secure networks and third-party payment methods instead. More here.
People often look for ways to give back during the holiday season, and scammers are ramping up efforts to exploit that goodwill, often posing as well-known nonprofits to trick donors. Virginia Tech cybercrime expert Katalin Parti says these fraudsters use local phone numbers, emotional stories, and pressure tactics to make their requests sound legitimate. “They’ll tug at your heartstrings, but they’ll never clearly explain how they plan to help,” says Parti, noting that false charities often mimic the names and websites of real ones. She encourages donors to research organizations, avoid cash or crypto payments, and be cautious about sharing personal information. More here.
As the holiday season ramps up, so can feelings of stress and anxiety for both adults and children. Virginia Tech psychology expert Rosanna Breaux, associate professor in the Department of Psychology, says the pressures of this time of year hit harder than people realize. “The holidays are a trigger for many, whether they don’t have a good relationship with family members, are recently bereaved, or they just struggle to adjust to the sunless winter days." Children face their own challenges — from disrupted routines to long travel days and unfamiliar social settings. Breaux shares guidance on recognizing triggers, setting boundaries, and making space for self-care during the busiest stretch of the year. More here.
With politics constantly in the headlines these days, conversations are likely to come up at family gatherings. Virginia Tech expert Todd Schenk, associate professor in the School of Public and International Affairs, says tough topics don’t always need to be avoided, but the timing matters. He says these conversations probably aren’t best “around a crowded dinner table with the wine flowing and the cousins heckling.” Schenk also reminds people that opinions don’t change quickly. “Persuasion is possible and a common reason for engagement,” he says. “However, it is difficult and, when it happens, typically the result of sustained dialogue.” He offers guidance on choosing the right moment, keeping discussions respectful, and using active listening to maintain relationships. More here.
Holiday plants such as poinsettias, holiday cacti, and amaryllis can brighten homes throughout the winter, but they need the right care to last. Virginia Cooperative Extension Agent Ed Olsen says it starts with choosing a healthy plant. “When choosing poinsettias, you want to look for plants with the yellow true flower in the center of the bract,” he says. “Many times, especially after they have been sitting out in big-box stores, the true flower will drop off, which means those plants won’t last as long.” Olsen also shares guidance on ideal temperatures, watering habits, transporting plants in cold weather, and why holiday cacti and amaryllis bulbs make longer-lasting gifts. More here.
Veterinarians at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine see a spike in emergency visits during the holidays as pets encounter unfamiliar foods, decorations, and disruptions to their routines. Clinical Associate Professor Mark Freeman says many owners underestimate the risks hidden in seasonal décor and gatherings. “Diet-related problems we see quite often,” he says. “And then, there’s so much new stuff, like the tinsel in garlands, ornaments, ribbons, wrapping paper and chewing up things that they would not normally have access to. So there are a lot of problems with what we call foreign bodies.” Freeman also warns about hazards such as snow globes containing ethylene glycol, xylitol in holiday baking, schedule changes, battery-powered decorations, and pets slipping out during gatherings. More here.
Other holiday topics:
Compare, act early to avoid holiday shopping tariff chaos, experts say
Pass the Thanksgiving kudzu: Expert on edible invasive species
Diabetes doesn’t need to derail your holiday meal plans, nutrition expert says
How long you use your Christmas tree determines what you should buy
Margaret Ashburn
540-529-0814
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