Kathy Landin

The Elf on the Shelf—whether you find him cute, annoying or somewhere in between, he's everywhere these days, making the holiday season even more complicated for parents. We did a little investigating on this elusive creature that has become a phenomenon, and discovered a few things we didn't expect.

Christmas is a time for traditions, but it seems like every year the Christmas traditions become far less traditional and way more modern. A warm fire crackles on your HDTV. That fresh-cut Christmas tree is just an illusion created by LED lights...

Christmas is a time for joyous giving and families coming together and singing and eggnog. But we all know that on some level it’s all about the presents.

School is back in session in a lot of places, but that doesn’t mean that travel is completely off-limits for your family.

When your kids go back to school, it’s almost like you go back to school, too. Teachers and childhood development professionals agree that when a child’s parents are involved in his education, he learns more and gets better grades. That means, you have just as big a responsibility in his schoolwork as he does.

Somehow another summer has flown by and the kiddos are headed back to school again. Sure, that means vacations are over, the house will be empty and days at the pool are numbered. But what it also means is that it’s time to shop for supplies.

Wake up. Sound the alarms. Father’s Day is on Sunday. It seems like we talk about Mother’s Day for a month before it actually happens, but Father’s Day just sneaks up on us every year. If this has happened to you and you aren’t prepared with a gift, it’s not too late.

Obviously, cheating on your spouse is bad for your relationship, but a new study shows that it can also be pretty bad for your health. You would think the most dangerous possibility is that your wife will find out and beat you with a frying pan, but really, the danger comes before, while you’re still in the act.

This morning, legendary hairstylist Vidal Sassoon passed away in his home at the age of 84, according to a Los Angeles police department spokesperson. The renowned salon kingpin died of “apparent natural causes.”

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1863 – Confederate General Stonewall Jackson dies, eight days after being accidentally shot by his own troops (More info) 1869 – The First Transcontinental Railroad, linking the eastern and western US, is completed with the driving in of a golden spike in Promontory Summit, UT (More info)