Divorced Parents Face Holiday Quandary.

• Position: Many children of divorced parents dread the holidays - Brief Article

For children of divorced parents, the holidays are often anything but happy. "Many kids whose parents are divorced absolutely hate Christmas," indicates Marilyn Coleman, professor of human development and family studies, University of Missouri-Columbia, and an expert on divorce and stepfamilies. One solution is to make another holiday the focus of family celebrations.

Coleman explains that there are many stressors for children of divorced parents who attempt to make Christmas the focus of all their holiday traditions. One major cause of holiday stress comes from the feeling that they can't really please anyone. "Everyone wants them for the entire holiday and so children feel that no matter what they do they are disappointing the people who matter to them most."

Some families take a proactive approach and concentrate on a less commercial holiday to...