It’s becoming an increasing issue in our society – parents separate or divorce and find themselves with more questions than answers during the holidays:

With whom do the kids spend Christmas Day? Christmas Eve? When do you get a tree? Who will decorate it?

Susan Trombetti, a matchmaker serving the Maryland/DC area, offers a few tips for newly single parents struggling to preserve holiday traditions while creating new ones:

• Throw a party. Invite family and friends. Let them in on the fact that this is part of your solution to cope with the holidays, and their attendance is greatly appreciated.

• Visit the homeless shelter and help serve dinner. You will meet other people there with the same charitable outlook on life. You may even make new friends!

• Go to holiday plays and movies. I recommend going to see "A Christmas Carol" at Ford's Theater in DC.

Check out these tips and the reasons for them in her blog here.