10 Places You Should Celebrate New Year’s At Least Once

A New Year.  New possibilities.  New commitments.  New resolutions.  Celebrations and customs may vary around the world, but in most places, New Year’s Eve is one of the biggest party days of the year.  For many, simply spending the night with close friends and family is the best way to celebrate.  While it’s certainly a great way to ring in the New Year, there are many people who like to turn it up a notch.

The following 10 places are by no means the best (as best oflists are all subjective anyway) places to watch the clock strike midnight, but this list does give any traveler and adventure seeker a starting point for celebrating this holiday in a unique and different way, providing great places on five of the seven continents to celebrate.

1. Sydney, Australia

The first and the largest major city to ring in the New Year, the Aussies know how to do it right.  There’s something for everyone in Sydney, from families to backpackers to retirees to everyone in between.  The fireworks display on theSydney Harbour is the main highlight for anyone celebrating here, and the fact that it’s summertime in Sydney gives it a different feel for those in the northern hemisphere.  The setting of the city, with the Harbour and Opera House, creates a wonderful backdrop.  If massive crowds aren’t your thing, look into getting a spot on a boat and enjoy the festivities from a unique vantage point, the water.

Sydney Harbour is the place to be if you find yourself down under for the New Year’s celebration.  The massive fireworks display is one of the main reasons people from all over the world come to Sydney to celebrate, so be sure to check out the vantage point map.  The more popular viewing places fill up early, so planning ahead and arriving as early as afternoon is essential.  There are plenty of restaurants and bars in the area hosting their own parties; check those out if you aren’t interested in battling the one million plus people that will be in and around the Harbour area.

>> Look for hostels in Sydney 
>> Read about things to do in Sydney

2. Tokyo, Japan

If you plan on celebrating the new year in Tokyo, know that  you’ll be celebrating for a while.  In Tokyo, the New Year’s celebration can last up to a week, with festivities beginning on December 29 and lasting until January 4.  One negative aspect visitors should be aware of is much of the city shuts down (most restaurants and a bars will remain open), but if it’s an authentic, local experience you’re looking for, you’ll find it in Tokyo.  Fireworks, dancing, and singing are the norm, as well as the traditional eating of Toshikoshi Soba (New Year’s Eve noodle), whose long noodle symbolizes a long and healthy life, and listening to Juya No Kane (the Watch-Night Bell), which rings 108 times at temples all over the Japan, symbolizing a prosperous New Year.

The Tokyo Tower is the most popular place in the city with the largest gathering of crowds.  But the cool thing about ringing in the New Year in Tokyo is that you don’t have to go to the most popular of places to have a unique and memorable experience.  Because of the Japanese tradition of ringing the Watch-Night Bell, as long as you’re near a temple, you’ll be close to a celebration.  In addition to the New Year’s Eve festivities, another major highlight of spending your holiday in Tokyo is that the gates to the Imperial Palace open to the public on January 1, one of only two days in the entire year this happens.

>> Find airfare to Japan 
>> Plan your budget trip to Japan

3. Koh Phangan, Thailand

If you’re into partying and dancing, there aren’t many places better to welcome a New Year than Koh Phangan.  Known for its full moon parties and festive year-round atmosphere, Koh Phangan amps it up a notch for New Year’s Eve.  Over 50,000 people descend on this Thai island for several days of debauchery, and if you’re young (or young at heart) and concerned with finding one of the biggest and wildest parties on Earth, this is your place.  Celebrating with so many like-minded people should be reason enough to come, but the fact that attire is swimming suits and flip-flops, and down time can be spent lounging under palm trees on beautiful beaches with crystal clear waters, should put Koh Phangan over the edge.

Haad Rin is the center for the party, so if you have your heart set on staying here, plan and book in advance.  If you don’t care about staying at party central, then you’ll have no problem staying at another beach.  Planning transportation is another important part.  Many Thais are on holiday during this time, so trains, buses, and planes book up early.  Once on the island, you won’t have a problem finding where the party is.

>> Find cheap flights to Thailand 
>> Discover the best beaches in Thailand

4. Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh has perhaps one of the most unique and longstanding New Year’s traditions, even having their own name for their celebration, Hogmanay.  A fireworks display and torchlight procession through Edinburgh are just a few of the traditions still celebrated today, taking after pagan celebrations hundreds of years earlier.  Many Scots still adhere to “first footing,” a tradition in which the first person to enter your house in the New Year should be male and dark (this tradition started in Viking times when a blonde visitor usually meant trouble).  The guest is also expected to bring a few presents, usually whiskey and shortbread.

The Hogmanay celebrations last three to four nights, with the torch procession kicking off the celebrations on December 30.  Upwards of 100,000 people join the street parties on December 30 and 31, keeping the celebration going with fireworks, live music and entertainment, and plenty of eating and drinking.  January 1 sees several activities, including concerts and other cultural events.  Anyone can take part in any of these celebrations, with the torch procession beginning on High Street in the Old Town and ending at the Edinburgh meeting ground of Calton Hill. Be sure to come back on New Year’s Eve itself and take part in the street party running the length of Princes Street.  A massive fireworks display above the Edinburgh Castle rings in the New Year at midnight.

>> Book hostels in Edinburgh 
>> Find cheap airfare to Edinburgh

5. Paris, France

Because you’d be celebrating New Year’s in one of the world’s greatest cities! Dancing and clubbing, eating and drinking, or simply enjoying a quiet evening with friends, Paris offers it all for New Year’s.  Several street parties, at the Champs-Elysees and Montmarte, are the places to go if large groups of people and large fireworks display tickles your fancy.  If you’re in Paris for the food, then options abound to satisfy your taste buds.  If entertainment is what you’re looking for, then you’ll have no problem finding plenty of cabarets.  Or perhaps a more low-key dinner cruise is your cup of tea?  Finally, Paris is filled with plenty of bars and clubs to drink and dance the night away and celebrate the coming of a new year.

Champs-Elysees is ground zero for the Parisian street party, with large crowds and an impressive midnight fireworks display around the Eiffel Tower.  If this is what your heart is set on, make your plans ahead of time and arrive early.  For a similar experience that is not quite as hard-core, consider heading to the Sacre Coeur Cathedral plaza in Montmarte for a more laid back street party.  If it’s a clear night, you’ll have no problem seeing the Paris skyline and midnight fireworks display.  Thousands upon thousands of restaurants, bars, cabarets, and clubs dot the City of Lights, and most all offer a New Year’s party of some sort, so be sure to check around and find the perfect celebration for you.

>> Read about New Year’s Eve in Paris 
>> Find cheap flights to Paris

6. Barcelona, Spain

If you’ve ever been to Barcelona, you’d know it has an energy and style unlike any other, and its New Year’s celebrations dip into that uniqueness that is Barcelona.  If dancing and partying until the first sunrise of the New Year sounds like it’s right up your alley, then you may want to celebrate with some of the greatest partiers in the world.  The Spanish culture of late meals and even later nights out don’t change just because it’s New Year’s Eve.  Unlike most other cultures around the world, the party in Barcelona doesn’t even begin until close to midnight, with the traditional eating of the twelve grapes during the twelve chimes of midnight.  It’s typically family time when the clock strikes twelve, then it’s off to the clubs to celebrate in style until the sun comes up on the New Year.

Unlike many other major cities, there isn’t one major area of congregation in Barcelona to celebrate New Year’s.  Because of the tradition of getting together with family for a meal around the stroke of midnight, people seem to scatter all over the city.  If you’re traveling in Barcelona and don’t know a local family, you’ll probably be heading to a restaurant for a celebratory meal and drinks.  Make plans and reservations in advance, as restaurants fill up early.  Many will offer special New Year’s parties and set menus, with a higher price than usual, so be prepared.  After dinner is when most of the city, especially the young folk, will hit up the clubs and bars for dancing and celebrating.  Expect the celebration to continue all night long, until the early hours of the next morning, so don’t skip your siesta that afternoon.

>> Find cheap flights to Barcelona 
>> Search budget accommodation in Barcelona

7. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Like Barcelona, Rio is known as one of the party capitals of the world, so you know what you’re getting into if celebrating the New Year in Brazil.  Like Sydney, you’ll find yourself in the middle of summer here in Rio, so beach parties, bikinis, and swim suits could be the norm for the night, depending on your preferred party location.  While other cities on this list offer a myriad of entertainment options, if you’re going to Rio, you’re going to dance and party with some of the best in the business – Brazilians.  These people know how to spend a night out, so attending the city’s second biggest annual party (after Carnivale) will have you boogying the night away on the beach.

Like many things in Rio de Janeiro, it begins and ends on Copacabana beach.  Party central is located up and down this famous beach, with all different genres of music and plenty of activities to keep you up and dancing all night long.  This year’s New Year’s celebration will feature the usual massive fireworks display (11 barges with 1200 fireworks) in addition to four different stages set up along Copacabana beach, each featuring different music.  This decade is an important one for Brazil as they will be the center of the world by hosting both the World Cup (2014) and the Olympics (2016), and they will be celebrating their national pride by dubbing this the “Golden Decade.”  Rio will surely be a fantastic, rowdy, fun, and unique city to ring in 2011.

>> Find adventure tours in Brazil 
>> Look for cheap flights to Brazil

8. Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

A unique celebration completely different from any other on this list has Canadian revelers celebrating amidst the gorgeous scenery of the famous Niagara Falls.  So much goes on at Queen Victoria Park that it makes this one of the busiest nights of the year at Niagara.  Live music, two rounds of fireworks (at 9pm if you want to bring little ones and the obligatory midnight display), and 30,000 of your closest friends will ring in the New Year in style.  And the best part of this whole party?  It’s absolutely free.

The festivities kick off at 8pm at Queen Victoria Park with the aforementioned live music.  This year’s lineup features rock legend Styx.  If freezing outside in Canada isn’t on your list of ways to celebrate the New Year, keep in mind that there are plenty of options in the area.  Casino Niagara and Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort offer entertainment for those in the mood for a more adult atmosphere, and families not wanting to brave the crowds at Queen Victoria Park might have a better time at Clifton Hill, an amusement park of sorts offering plenty of activities for everyone.  The Niagara Skywheel, a Dinosaur Park, and glow in the dark mini-golf are just a smattering of activities on offer at Clifton Hill.  Come celebrate in a way that may not be typical of New Year’s Eve celebrations but is sure to be memorable.

>> Find cheap hotels in Niagara Falls 
>> Read about more free things to do and see in the US

9. Las Vegas, NV, USA

An entire book can be written about the entertainment options that await you in the world’s biggest and best adult playground, Las Vegas.  And while it’s true that Vegas is a great place to celebrate just about anything and is raucous and fun year-round, New Year’s Eve does offer a different and interesting way to see this crazy city.  The strip is closed down to vehicular traffic, with a midnight fireworks display shot off from the roofs of seven different hotels and casinos.  In addition to the street party, obviously the clubs and casinos will all be offering plenty of parties and activities to whet your Vegas appetite.

All the clubs and bars in town will have special plans for the night, and there are countless shows and concerts being put on all over the city (including the biggest one this year-Jay Z and Coldplay at the brand new Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas casino and resort).  But the biggest party in Vegas on New Year’s Eve is on the streets itself.  The strip is closed down to traffic, and partiers are encouraged to take to the streets to celebrate.  Beer stands and port-o-potties are all over, so enjoy wandering around with drink in hand (casinos will also pour your drink in a to-go cup).  One thing to keep in mind if you do plan on partying in the streets is that casinos close their doors to anyone who is not a guest, and once the fireworks end shortly after midnight, it can be a mad rush to get in the doors of the nearest bar or club.  Like with anything New Year’s Eve related in a busy city, plan ahead and be organized.

>> Search for cheap tickets to Las Vegas 
>> Plan your New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas

10. New York City, NY, USA

No list of places to celebrate New Year’s Eve would be complete without mentioning a trip to New York City.  One of the largest celebrations in the world has seen the giant ball drop over historic Times Square for over 100 years.  More than 1 million people attend the free event, with millions more watching on TV from all over the world, as 1 ton of confetti will be dropped over the city at the stroke of midnight.  If the giant crowds and hype aren’t your idea of the best way to celebrate, it’s a good thing you’re in the city that never sleeps.  Offering perhaps the most varied restaurant and bar options on the planet, you’re sure to celebrate in any style you want if visiting the Big Apple.

Most people who bother coming to New York City for New Year’s Eve are coming to celebrate in one place, Times Square.  With this major event come crowds – large ones – so planning is essential to get the most enjoyment possible out of this historic celebration.  It’s necessary to get there in the afternoon to stake out a good spot.  After that, it’s all about waiting in your “spot” for the ball to drop.  No backpacks or alcohol are allowed, so if boozing it up is on your itinerary for the evening, you may want to start checking out restaurant, bar, and hotel options.  If you’re staying and celebrating in Manhattan, there are several restaurants and hotels in the area that allow a glimpse of the famous ball dropping on the New Year.  New York City truly does have entertainment for everyone on the final day of the year, so take the opportunity to be part of a celebration like no other.

New Year’s Eve is a special night for people all over the world.  This day means something different for everyone, and parties and celebrations reflect those differences.  Each city and country has their own way of doing things, so if you have a chance to take part in a celebration unique to what you’re used to, take advantage and embrace it.

By Adam Seper

Office Resolutions Made Easy

Odds are, most of your New Year's resolutions will probably fail. Sad, but true.

On January 1, you'll promise to keep your desk clean for the rest of the year. But by the end of the week, you won't be able to find your cell phone, which happens to be under some e-mails you printed out, and on top of those is your coffee mug, which needs a refill -- even though you also said you'd cut back on the caffeine.

We love making promises to ourselves. Diet and fitness resolutions are the most common, followed by career goals and personal finance, according to myGoals.com, an online service that helps people set and stick to personal and professional goals.

But some research shows that we may not be so good at keeping them. Rosalene Glickman, president of the World Academy for Personal Development in Los Angelesand author of Optimal Thinking: How to Be Your Best Self, teaches executives and employees at companies around the world how to best use their time. For several years, she's been asking her clients if they made a New Year's resolution, and if they kept it. Out of more than 3,000 responses, only 6% said they had stuck with their resolutions.

Glickman has watched people struggle with how they approach their work, how they manage employees, and how they contribute in meetings. At the end of the year, she says, many ask themselves, "It's a fresh start... What can I do?" The most common answers she hears: I'm not going to shoot from the hip. I'm going to keep my desk clean. I'm going to finish everything by 6 p.m. I'm going to listen to my employees more. "That's what they all say and that's why they fail," Glickman says, noting a common lack of follow-up.

To Glickman, it's not that these goals are unattainable -- cleaning up a desk isn't that hard. It's doing it consistently that's difficult. She recommends treating smaller, more personal work-related goals just like you'd treat a new strategic vision -- make a commitment to clean your desk every day at 5 p.m., just like you'd demand a regular update from the sales department if you wanted to move more units. Glickman says that recognizing the problem is meaningless unless it's associated with a specific timeline and measurable results.

Bill Burnett is a venture partner with Roy's Restaurants, where he oversees seven high-end dining spots along the East Coast with $26 million in revenue. His job takes him on the road frequently, and away from his family. Of New Year's resolutions, he says, "I'm really good at making them, and I'm equally good at breaking them."

Last year, he made two: To spend more time with his kids and their sports teams, and to overcome his lack of computer know-how. "I had finally grown tired of being the butt of jokes about my technical skills," says Burnett, who was spoiled by a secretary in his previous career, who took care of everything from Excel to Xeroxing. "Being of the baby-boomer generation, computers came late in my life."

In 2005 he kept the first resolution -- better managing his work and travel schedule, so that he could coach his 10-year-old son's football team, never missing a game. The other required a bit more discipline, and unfortunately, Burnett will be making it again in 2006. He plans to hire a computer coach to teach him what he needs to know.

Burnett says he recognized the weakness of his computer-literacy resolution last year, a problem that many New Year's self-improvers struggle with -- he didn't have any accountability. This year, he'll have a hired guru to make sure he can wield a mouse before 2007. But while paying somebody to keep you in line can be effective, just articulating your goals with a pen and pencil can do the trick for a lot less money.

"The discipline of writing something down is the first step of making it happen," saysKaren Leland, president of Sterling Consulting Group and co-author of the new book, Watercooler Wisdom. For Leland, learning how to say "no" is a resolution she'd like to see some of her clients take in 2006. "There are things that are not in line with your goals, priorities, or resolutions, that you really need to say 'no' to," says Leland. "People that are smart know how to say 'yes' to the things that really matter, and 'no' to the less important ones." In other words, granting an extension to one of your employees may seem like the nice-and-easy thing to do, but if it throws a whole project out of whack, you need to learn to say no.

For Leland, the New Year's resolution is a national pastime, though she says Jan. 1 may not always seem like the best day to start fresh. "Is it the ideal time to plan?" she asks. "Probably not. You've had too much to drink, you're with your family." But still, we choose New Year's Day because "it's mythologically the do-over day. It's like you get a feeling of getting to start from a clean state."

As for herself, Leland has a few goals she's written down. She wants to loose "that last 10 pounds," "spend a month in Hawaii," and "start a new division in the company." And what's right at the top of her list? Even the pros have desks that could use a little cleaning.

Funny Christmas Facts

Christmas is a great period mostly because of the revelry, the feasts, good company and best of all the time off from work. There are many things that most people will know about Christmas; these are the more conventional Christmas associations including Santa, the Nativity story, the star of Bethlehem et al. However, there are other things that only those who go in search of the bizarre may know off hand. With this in mind, here is a list of funny, yet interesting Christmas facts.

• Pig head, it's what's for dinner. The traditional Christmas dinner in England used to be a pig head prepared with a mustard sauce. Most English folk are possibly quite delighted that this isn't the case anymore.
• Witches and Evil spirits are the greatest broom thieves. The Norwegians once believed that witches and devious spirits were likely to steal their brooms on Christmas Eve. Who knows maybe a mischievous prankster stole a few brooms during that period and the legend stuck.
• “Bah Christmas”. Perhaps not the best line created by Dickens, mainly because “Bah Humbug” just has that extra something special about it. Most people would probably agree that Dickens' decision to work on the famous catchphrase was a good move indeed.
• There is a special act in Britain that actually makes it mandatory to go to church on Christmas day. The act that is deemed the Holy Days and Fasting Act still exists, however, not so much enforced. Additionally no vehicle of any kind is to be used to get to the Christmas service.
• Forego throwing out your Christmas tree and make it lunch. The Evergreen is actually edible, well most parts of it anyway. In addition, it is nutrient enriched, so if you take the advice stated previously you'd be getting a good source of Vitamin C and roughage. Don't mind that you will be eating a tree; it's just one step away from any other vegetable.
• Bake your bread on Christmas Eve and it will remain fresh forever. If only. There is an old wives' tale that actually suggests that bread baked on Christmas Eve is mould resistant. While it cannot be known now how many people believed this, it's pretty obvious that any believers would be converted after the appearance of mould on their bread beyond 5 days or so.
• Kris Kringle really lives in the North Pole. But guess what he foregoes the reindeer and drives a 1984 Ford Tempo, additionally; he delivers Pizza instead of working in a magical toy shop.

A very happy holiday from the API family to yours!

Click Clack!

Founded in 1996, Under Armour has made their presence known in the athletic apparel industry with leaps and bounds. Protective of their brand, they are particular about who they opt to work with. Currently, only 15 vendors nationwide have permissions to sell Under Armour products and apparel. 

API has worked to build a relationship with UA, based in Baltimore, over the past five years and it has finally paid off. With the addition of sales executive Eric Benovitz to the API team, and his chance meeting with the UA Director of 
Footwear creation, all the stars aligned and Eric got our foot in the door. The importance of working with a company like Under Armour can't be stressed enough when dealing with teams, kids, schools and clubs. They want the brand they know they can trust. And now API, in association with Under Armour can give it to them.

Exposing the Under Armour team to the capabilities API has and working with referrals, Eric spent six months in communication and finally secured a partnership. Because of this diligence we now have access to a "hot product that is very popular and difficult to get" Eric says of his efforts. Under Armour ultimately decided that they could trust API to help represent their brand because of our professionalism, production knowledge and expertise, the quality of the work that was presented to them and letters of recommendation.

Our next steps are to place Under Armour products on as many of our 30+ web stores that we operate, as well as into the physical retail locations we run, and placing the knowledge in the hands of our capable clients. Our mission: To get the word out that API is now a happy member of the Under Armour team and we will be certain to help protect their house. 

Holiday Office Party Do's and Don'ts

Going to the company office holiday party this year? You can take advantage of the office party to have some fun and advance your career or misbehave and cripple your career. Here are some basic rules to survive and thrive at any company-sponsored party.

• Do remember that although office parties are intended as social events to reward employees and raise morale, they remain strictly business events. Do act as though your behavior is being observed every minute (because it probably is).

• Don't pass up the invitation to an office party; not attending could hurt your reputation. And when you attend, do spend at least 30 minutes at the party for appearances. But don't overstay your welcome by partying until the wee hours.

• Do conduct yourself professionally at all times. Don't use the office party as an excuse to blow off steam. It's still a company function, so proper etiquette and decorum matter.

• Don't bring the party lampshade, gag gifts for the boss, or any other crazy stuff you might do at a personal holiday party.

• Do enjoy yourself at the party. Employers spend the big bucks to reward their employees, so be sure to enjoy the only holiday gift you may be getting from the company.

• Don't pull the nightclub attire from your closet for the event -- and do ask whether the attire for the party is formal or casual. The party is still a business function, so conservative party clothes are a good choice. So, do remember to skip anything too revealing or too flashy. Keep your reputation for good taste intact.
• Do keep your hands to yourself. Don't flirt, and do avoid any other inappropriate behavior. The office party is not the time to end your career with the company by doing something inappropriate or illegal.

• Don't spend all evening talking business. You'll forever have the label as the office bore.

• Do keep all conversations positive and upbeat. Don't spend the evening complaining, bragging, correcting, whining, or ridiculing. And do avoid controversial subjects (such as religion, politics, etc.) and off-color jokes.

• Don't monopolize conversations -- and, especially, don't talk about yourself or your accomplishments all night. Do show interest in others. Do be gracious and thank coworkers and team members for all their help and hard work during the past year. And don't even think about gossiping about others.

• Do keep one hand free during the night so that you can offer handshakes to people as they come by. And do keep your drink in your left hand, so you are not offering people a cold, wet handshake all evening.

• Don't feel you need to drink excessively just because it's an open bar. And don't pig-out at the food buffet either. Moderation is key. You can always eat and drink more after the party.

• Do take the time to network and schmooze with people at the party who can influence your career or who you may not see regularly, such as top management, people from other departments, and employees from other locations. A holiday party is a great event to begin building or strengthening business relationships, so do introduce yourself and build your network.

• Don't assume everyone celebrates the same holiday, so don't go overboard with the “Merry Christmas.”

• Do be sure you know exactly who is invited to the party. Spouses or significant others are not always on the guest list for office parties. And if guests are permitted, don't bring an inappropriate person as your guest.

• Don't forget to thank the person responsible for the planning and coordinating of the party. And do consider sending a thank-you note to top management for hosting the party.

• Do inquire about office policies on providing car or cab service for employees attending the holiday party. And do appoint a designated driver or do hire a cab yourself if the company is not willing to provide the rides home. Don't drink and drive.

by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

The API Office Holiday Schedule

We like to do our best to keep our clients informed so here is our office holiday schedule:
Office to close at 4PM on Tuesday December 20th
Office closed on Monday December 26th
Office closed on Monday January 2nd

Multicultural and festive: Great office holiday parties

t's easy to create a beautiful party that accommodates various religious or cultural traditions, or a celebration that simply emphasizes the season—and includes everyone effortlessly.

Here are some helpful pointers:

Keep it simple:--Sondra Thiederman, a workplace diversity consultant and author of Making Diversity Work, counsels that trying to accommodate everyone's desires can actually end up causing hurt feelings.

"The more you try to please members of every single group, the greater danger you are in of deeply offending someone left out."

Celebrate the season: "Go for neutrality," Thiederman suggests. Decorate the party venue with colorful, seasonal, non-denominational ornaments, such as balloons, flowers, candles, and snowflakes. White, silver, and light blue decorations, such as the shimmering party supplies shown above, can turn any party venue into a Winter Wonderland—even if it's 85 degrees outside.

Setting a multicultural stage—On the other hand, you can choose to honor everyone's traditions, suggests Patreese Ingram, associate professor of diversity education at Penn State.

One workplace that successfully includes everyone's holiday traditions is Brigham & Women's Hospital, in Boston. The hospital's annual Multicultural Holiday Party has featured decorated tables around the perimeter of the party room. The tables showcase holidays and cultural traditions, such as Chanukah, Christmas, Diwali, Kwanzaa, Ramadan, Las Posadas, Epiphany, St. Nicholas Day, and St. Lucia Day.

Trim a diversity tree—An even easier way to honor everyone's traditions is to have a large diversity tree. Encourage employees to bring holiday symbols from their cultures, or flags from the countries of their heritage. Have everyone hang their decorations on the tree. Or simply create garlands to wrap around the tree.

Other possibilities: Choose a single theme for the tree--e.g., snowflakes, flowers, or colorful tied ribbon bows.

From Counting Sheep to the Golden Fleece

The styles, strategies and shifting boundaries you need to understand to succeed with comfort and sleepwear

Pajamas. Not exactly apparel top-of-mind when you think of the old "walking billboard" adage of the promotional clothing world. People wear them when they sleep after all, which seems about as good a place for a promotion as a billboard buried 600 miles underground, surrounded by illiterate giant bats who have a frothing, all-consuming hatred of billboards, commonly expressed with them immediately shredding and rending to pieces any freestanding advertisements they find.

In other words, common sense dictates that promotional apparel placed where it will get exactly the least amount of eyeballs possible probably isn't a good idea. But, is decorated sleepwear really that invisible of an item? Sure it gets worn in the bedroom, but what about more public places?

What about colleges, where sleepwear is commonly worn to study lounges and shared dormitories (not to mention used as a booster item for sororities, fraternities and college bookstores)? What about as spirit apparel for girls' sports camps, such as a summer sleep-away softball or cheerleading camp? Children's hospitals? Incentive items? The list of public settings for sleepwear goes on and on, and that's without even considering pajama's grown-up cousin, the bathrobe, which opens up even more avenues and angles for promotion.

To make sure you're successful in your bedroom branding attempts, read up on what's in style, what's been successful and why robes and pajamas are not only far from the buried billboards some think them to be, but also sometimes just the item needed to get the promotional job done.

DREAMY STYLES
Since most "sleepwear" isn't really for sleeping so much as it's for those "just-woke-up-and-have-to-get-breakfast-in-public" moments, the "tops" portion of such outfits haven't evolved much past whatever comfy-tee or hoodie is handy at the moment. The bottoms of these outfits however, being distinct to the whole "comfortwear" idea and used almost solely in that arena, have cultivated their own special kind of style.

"Patterns are really popular, including plaids (traditional and fashion), animal prints and polka dots," said Margaret Crow, director of marketing for S&S Activewear,Bolingbrook, Ill. "As far as the cut, they are generously sized and made of really soft flannel that just gets better with washing," she added.

Jessica Levine, marketing associate for Atlanta-based Boxercraft, seconded the popularity of plaids and novelty prints, stating that they've been so successful the company plans to expand its line of novelty prints this spring. She added as well that along with plaids and prints, bright, neon colors have been very popular this fall.

SNOOZE-FREE STRATEGIES
Sadly, an easy sales pitch like "They're pajamas! Kids wear 'em around when they're doin' stuff, like, uh, walkin' and collegin' and, well, you know, havin' legs and whatnot ..." is not always going to be enough to land you the sale. Sometimes you need creativity and a little spin on an item for a client to see how valuable it is, pajama or otherwise.

Crow had one example of a clever sleepwear promotion she learned from a previous client. "One of our customers bundled some cute flannel lounge pants in a graduation gift basket," she said. "The 'basket' was actually a shower caddy, and the package included a coordinated T-shirt, a robe and a water bottle. They created several versions in different team colors," she explained. "It was really successful, and they ended up creating a large order of the baskets for another booster club in the area. The loungewear is perfect for dorms and sorority/fraternity house living."

For a sleepwear promotion involving robes, Shawn Kanak, CAS, vice president of Towel Specialties Inc.Baltimore, had an interesting suggestion. He noted a time when the company's robes were used as gifts for new mothers at a hospital's birthing center.

"In the spring we fulfilled a project for a birthing center," he said. "The director's goal was to put more focus on the mother. The baby traditionally receives all of the hugs, kisses and hospital gifts, while mom generally only receives feelings of self fulfillment and pain meds," said Kanak. "The goal was to have moms leave with a tangible positive experience as well. We packaged a beautiful Turkish robe with our slippers and a nicely fragranced lotion set into one of our lined wicker basket as a 'perfect gift for mom,'" he explained. Kanak stated that each mother who gave birth in the center received the robe gift bundle, and noted overall that the promotion was extremely successful. "They are so confident that the program will be a continued success that they have already ordered again for this fall season," he said.

CUTE PANTS: NOT JUST FOR LADIES ANYMORE
There may be a temptation with comfort and sleepwear to assume that they're "women only" items. This notion isn't entirely without merit, Crow explaining that the pinks, novelty prints and other bright colors are (obviously) favored more by the fairer sex, but these popular styles by no means define the genre of apparel as a whole.

Crow and Levine agreed that gender-neutral patterns like plaid are popular across both sexes, and are often sold to men in places like fraternities or college bookstores. "Wanting to be comfortable is not exclusive to men or women," said Levine, cutting to the central appeal of the apparel. "Everyone likes to be comfortable!"

Kanak explained that this gender equality extends to robes, for the most part. "I do believe that there is a classic stereotyping that goes on today, even in the promotional products world," he said. "Women are going to be the primary target in the robe category, however men are just as happy to receive a robe as a woman because, in most cases, they can immediately think of a woman they could give it to," he explained. He suggested that this kind of gift-shifting can still have a strong marketing impact, the re-gifter getting to please someone close to them while the end-recipient gets the enjoyment of the actual item.