Smart Shopping

Are you suffering from a holiday hangover? It's that awful feeling you get when your credit cards are maxed out, the wrappings are still strewed on the floor and you can't stand the thought of returning to the mall for another shopping marathon despite promises of deep discounts.

You know what they say about the hair-of-the-dog cure - well being a year-round smart shopper can help you prevent that feeling of over indulgence after the glow of gift giving has dimmed. This weekend on Family Matters we'll talk with the Shopping Bags, Anna Wallner and Kristina Matisic about smart shopping strategies from their book The Shopping Bags: Tips, Tricks and Inside Information to Make You a Savvy Shopper. They spill secrets every seasoned shopper should know about saving money on every purchase.

A Christmas Pickle

Every family has their own holiday traditions, whether it's preparing a favorite meal, sending photo cards or a visit to the biggest light display in town, and many of those traditions have been passed down through the generations. If one of your traditions include hiding a pickle in a Christmas tree, you may be interested to know that researchers have soured the German roots origin theory. So, how do these traditions, rituals and customs get started? Ponder no more. Tune in Family Matters Radio this weekend as we talk to one of our favorite guests, Ace Collins. He is a master storyteller and he'll share tales from his book Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas. It's an annual conversation that our listeners have enthusiastically responded to over the years. As far as the German pickle story, we'll have ours with a corned beef sandwich thank you.

Dads Seeking Family Friendly Too

For years now, the focus of attention on family-friendly work benefits has been centered on Moms. Today, Dads are voicing their concerns on balancing career and family. Recent discussions regarding issues such as paternity leave, flexible work schedules, telecommuting and other benefits have resulted in a new term with a familiar ring- The Daddy Wars.

Whatever you call it, the debate continues and is not going away. We think that's good news. USA Today explores the issue from a Dad's point of view and you can read about it here. This weekend on Family Matters Radio we talk about some real solutions with Lori K. Long author of The Parent's Guide to Family Friendly Work. We hope you join us and post your comments on the subject below.

The Perfect Gift

It's that time of year again. Like most moms, we're in high shopping gear right now. We're checking our lists, doing battle in crowded malls and parking lots, all in our quest to find the perfect gift.

All the hustle and bustle can make even the most joyful spirit feeling more like a scrooge. With this in mind, we try to gear our holiday programs to support and empower busy families this time of year- kind of a reminder of what really matters. This weekend we kick it off by welcoming back one of our favorite guests, social psychologist Susan Newman. She's authored a number of books including The Book of No and Little Things Long Remembered: Making Your Children Feel Special Every Day. She'll talk about "taming the gimmies" and help all of us focus on creating memories that money can't buy. We want to hear from you! Do you have a family tradition that focuses on the reason for the season?