Page 14/The Battalion/Wednesday, December 14 1983
Holiday hints
Drunk driving a holiday problem
by Sarah Oates
Battalion Staff
The holidays are traditionally
a time for parties and good
cheer. However, the results can
be tragic when a partygoer who
has consumed too much of that
“good cheer” tries to drive.
Drinking and driving are a dan
gerous combination that is diffi
cult to avoid during the holiday
season.
“People need to stop and
think about how much to drink.
to be aware of drinking and driv
ing,” says Jan Winniford, assis
tant director of student affairs at
Texas A&M University.
Winniford says party hosts
and guests need to respect each
other’s right to drink as much or
as little as they wish. She suggests
that party hosts “watch out” for
their guests. “It’s unrealistic to
assume that people won’t drink
and drive during the holidays,”
she said.
In its “First a friend, then a
Host,” program, the American
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Samuel ML Tidwell & Associates, P.C.
Complete Immigration Law Practice
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Austin (512) 476-1247
Automobile Association (AAA)
offers the following tips on mak
ing holiday parties a safe suc
cess:
• Provide plenty of starchy
and high-protein snacks and
main dishes, such as vegetable
dips and cheeses. These foods
help slow the absorption of alco
hol into the bloodstream.
• Allow guests to serve them
selves and mix their own drinks.
Chances are that they will drink
less and mix less potent drinks.
• One-third of the adult
population does not drink, so a
variety of low and non-alcoholic
beverages should be offered for
those who choose not to drink.
Hosts should also not rush re
fills, especially if someone seems
to be cfrinking too fast.
• Guests should be kept busy
dancing or playing games to di
vert attention from the bar.
Hosts should set a personal ex
ample and drink in moderation.
• Time is a very important
factor in overcoming the effects
of alcohol, so about an hour be
fore the party ends, liquor
should be discreetly put away
and a dessert and plenty of hot
coffee should be provided.
Neither will have a sobering
effect, but both are valuable
time gainers. The average per
son can metabolize (burn off)
only one drink an hour. That
works out to one ounce of hard
liquor, 12 ounces of beer or four
ounces of wine.
• Prepare a plan of action in
case someone drinks too much.
Suggest calling a cab, having
guests car-pool, or allow the
guest to “sleep it ofF’ at your
home.
“Jan. 1 is the deadliest day of
the year,” says Dr. Kirk Brown,
president of the Brazos Chapter
of Mothers Against Drunk Driv
ing (MADD).
“About one person per
month is killed in Brazos County
due to drunk driving,” he said,
“and that percentage goes up
during the holiday season".
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Turkey is high-nutrition,
low-calorie holiday food
People shouldn’t have problems putting a tur
key on their Christmas dinner menu this year,
because prices are low and availability is high,
says a Texas A&M poultry specialist.
Dr. David Mellor, from the Texas A&M
Agricultural Extension Service says that turkey
prices should be the same or only slightly high
er than last year. One reason for the stability is
a large supply of red meat keeping prices stable
in spite of increased costs for producers and a
reduction in the turkey stock, he says.
First look for the white, circular USDA in
spection mark on the package, because this
assures the buyer that the turkey was processed
under sanitary conditions.Turkeys are not re
quired to be graded by the USDA, but many
turkeys carry an A, B, or C grading. Cooksey
says that buyers shouldn’t hesitate to buy a
turkey with a C grading because the price will
be lower and the reason the bird was given aC
grading (such as a tear in the skin) has nothing
to do with the wholesomeness of the bird.
- ^
Tradition and low prices aren’t the only
reasons that Americans consume an average of
11 pounds of turkey per year, says Dr. Dymple
Cooksey, a nutrition expert with the extension
service. Cooksey says turkey is one of the most
high-nutrition, low calorie foods around.
To select a tender turkey, look for the words
“young” or “fryer roasted.” The age of thebird
determines its tenderness, not the grade, size
Cooksey also gives some tips when shopping
for the holiday bird:
Cooksey says to plan on buying a turkey big e( |g a
enough to allow for three-fourths pound per
person, or one pound if leftovers are wanted,
Leftovers can be frozen in a vapor-proof mate
rial for up to one year without loosing quality
Holiday greenery poisonous
People who will be using holly and other holi
day greenery for Christmas decorations this
year should be careful to keep them out of
children’s reach, a Texas A&M plant scientist
has warned.
Smith also said that mistletoe berries are
poisonous also because they contain toxic
amines and proteins that can cause inflamma
tion of the stomach and intestine. This could
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“Holly berries are poisonous, though not
fatally, and are particularly dangerous to chil
dren,” said Dr. Roberta Smith of Texas A&M’s
Soil and Crop Sciences Department. “Inges
tion can cause violent vomiting, stomach aches
and diarrhea.”
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result in vomiting and diarrhea. It also mig!#
slow the pulse, causing critical complications
She warned that they should be kept awayfroni «mds
children.
center at Galveston to find out about the possi
poii
bou
ad ear
:xas p
bilities of ingesting a poisonous plant. Thetol,
free number is 1-800-392-8548.
Give something useful
Gifts chosen for elderly
can send wrong messagf
by Karen Wallace
Battalion Staff
Picking out a gift for an elderly friend or rela
tive can be a difficult thing to do. And as the
shopping days dwindle, the shopper sometimes
ends up having to buy the first thing he sees,
which can create a problem.
The gift you give an elderly friend or relative
may send an unintended message, said Judith L.
Warren, a family life education-aging specialist
with the Texas A&M University Agricultural Ex
tension Service home economics program.
For example, with the pair of slippers or pa
jamas you give Grandpa, you could be telling him
that he doesn’t do anything but sleep, she said.
Selecting a gift for an elderly person should be
no different than selecting a gift for a younger
person. The idea is to give something useful or
something the person will find pleasure in.
Consider the elderly person’s life now or past
related experience for a clue to gift ideas, Warren
said.
For example, the woman who used to have a
beautiful flower garden might enjoy a pictorial
book about floral gardens, a painting of a garden
to hang in her room, a favorite photo of her gar
den enlarged and framed, or a monthly gift of c
flowers from the florist, she said.
Sometimes, the best gift for an elderly person
would be something that you use everyday, said
Janet Neel, secretary for Crestview Retirement
Community in Bryan.
“Things you take for granted everyday that are
very useful and not expensive at all make wonder
ful gifts,” Neel said.
For example, a package of stamps would be a
good idea for someone who loves to send letters,
birthday cards or just has to pay bills, she said.
If you know someone who doesn’t see as well as
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they used to. a package of wide tip pens wouii . 0
a good idea, Neel said.
“That way, they can write and seewhatllif] ||.
written,” she said.
Here are some suggestions for thetypeofj
that many elderly people would enjoy:
• A home-made certificate for a lunchli
either at a new restaurant or a favoriteeating!) !'
• Fruit, flowers, plants or food gifts thatffl
on a monthly basis. Many local shops on
order firms offer this service.
• Home-baked goods, especially if thevjj
made by the grandchildren.
• A special treat for the elderly persons
special diet. There are now many recipesi [
products on the market for sugar-freet I '
sodium free desserts, candies or other trealii jl C
can be made at home or purchased at sped £
stores.
• A membership in a local health spawherd Uni
older person can enjoy a swim, the whirlpod Lqu;
sauna. rCald
• A gift certificate at the local beautysaloi a |f sur .
barber shop. e( ) t [, e
• Pre-packaged frozen meals that you |i ues( ] av
pared at home are especially nice for he oi j one ,
person who lives alone and does little cooliif iti, 24
• A home-made certificate for your sen con[ | [
You could offer “spring cleaning,” driving!
vices, garden-planting, catering a luncheon
dinner for your relative and several guesin |(j mes
taking a pet to the veterinarian for check-up j arne
A subscription to a specialty magazine 0 j!j nel
interest to the person. For example, themanti i rc | ( | IT
can no longer play golf may still enjoy read!
about current players and tournaments in agl Housi
ing magazine. -60 at
Once you start thinking of your friendond urtedt
tiveasjusta person, rather than an elderly pets esecor
the selection of gifts becomes easier, WarrentS Jones
w to le