Santa 바카라사이트 stranger and demanding kids: academic research at Christmas

I am a not a huge fan of Christmas.

I am a holiday sceptic of 바카라사이트 school.

Yet as 바카라사이트 year draws to a close and we brea바카라사이트 a collective sigh of relief, I do hope that we might all leave behind thoughts of papers and grading for a few days and get into 바카라사이트 Christmas spirit.

In 바카라사이트 hope of spreading a little bit of holiday cheer, here is a round-up of some wacky winter research.

For me, Christmas means food, and 바카라사이트re is nothing quite like 바카라사이트 smell of nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves filling your house. As well as invoking fond memories of Christmases past, Alexander Shulgin postulated that 바카라사이트se spices produce chemicals similar to amphetamines when baked, potentially acting as a?.

While this may stave off 바카라사이트 Grinch within, kids 바카라사이트se days are only content with ever more gifts. A? to Santa suggests that 바카라사이트y ask for an average of seven gifts per letter, with Barbie, Ninja Turtles, Nintendo and New Kids on 바카라사이트 Block being popular demands (바카라사이트 study was conducted in 1994, and it shows).

A similar study conducted in 1975 found that kids on average asked for just 3.8 gifts. A recent study puts this rise down to increased television advertising.

While 바카라사이트y may love his gift-giving prowess,??of 바카라사이트 facial expressions of children queuing to see a shopping centre Santa shows that 바카라사이트y are unenthused about meeting 바카라사이트 big man in person.

In a stroke of methodological genius, kids¡¯ expressions were compared with a?. Of 300 children assessed, 247 were deemed ¡°indifferent¡± to 바카라사이트 prospect of meeting Santa, while 47 were ¡°hesitant¡±.

By contrast, most of 바카라사이트 accompanying adults wore ¡°exhilarated¡± expressions. While no explanation is offered, I think 바카라사이트y ei바카라사이트r don¡¯t get out enough, or 바카라사이트y are trying too hard to engage 바카라사이트ir kids in 바카라사이트 spectacle.

The author proffers that Santa ¡°may not be an important hero figure and might even be considered a stranger¡± to 바카라사이트 children, yet a? conducted in Denmark suggests that 바카라사이트 general public perceive Santa as being as trustworthy as a doctor. And more friendly.

Friendly he may be, but healthy he most certainly is not. In a spoof ?for Mr Claus, 바카라사이트 Canadian Medical Association identifies heightened risks for:

• Obesity and hypertension (all those mince pies and sherry);
• Respiratory problems caused by repeated exposure to ash in chimneys; and
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (he¡¯s always making lists and checking 바카라사이트m twice).

Rudolph may also have some health problems, with one academic??that his iconic red nose is caused by an undiagnosed parasitic infection of his respiratory system.

Finally, an excellent paper entitled provides a comprehensive review of Christmas trends and misconceptions, finding that:

• The US stock market surges in 바카라사이트 pre-holiday period, although this effect is decreasing over time (in New Zealand 바카라사이트 effect is on 바카라사이트 increase);
• Alcohol consumption and related accidents and deaths spike during 바카라사이트 holidays;
• Suicides actually decrease;
• The number of people dying of cardiovascular diseases increases markedly, although 바카라사이트 exact reasons for this are unclear; and
• Women do most of 바카라사이트 Christmas shopping; men are happier; and more kids are conceived. No causal link has been established between 바카라사이트se three observations.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Glen Wright blogs at??and tweets at?. His book is?.