For quarter of a century we have been providing quality name badges, lanyards, badge wallets and conference supplies. It’s been an amazing journey and we thank our customers for supporting us for all this time.

We don’t just like to say Thank You – we want to show you! Starting in March 2013 we will be:

• Giving discounts an offers on a different product each month.
• Extending our Kindle Giveaway for 2013 in our Customer Prize Draw
• Starting our Community Program by offering a 25,000 Lanyards, Badges or Badge Wallets Giveaway – offering assistance to deserving causes. (more info coming soon!)
• Sharing all of the knowledge we have gathered over 25 years on our Event Marketing Blog
• Sharing great moments and stories of people we have helped over the years on our community pages

Be sure to ask when you call, and keep checking back. If you want to be the first to know – there are a number of ways that you can find out about our Anniversary Offers:

• Sign up to our Newsletter – We will be sending out a newsletter update at the start of every month to let everyone know what’s on offer and how many lanyards we have given away
• Follow us on Twitter – for event management tips, updates and real time offers
• Like our Facebook Page – for info direct to your social media stream!

These discounts will not be available in store again after 2013 so be sure to take advantage of our one time offers!

Obviously there are thousands of charities, so we have put these in categories so that you can find a charity near you that helps children, animals, homeless, seniors, the planet and more!

10 Charities For Kids

SecretSanta.com - non-profit organization dedicated to providing Christmas to children who need it most – there may be a branch near you

Local Toy Drives – you are probably hearing about these on your radios right now! Take a gift and it will be given to local children in need or sick kids

www.wish.org – the wish foundation grants wishes to poor, unfortunate or ill children by making their dreams come true, you can even nominate a child

www.savethechildren.org and www.unicef.org – helping to fight child poverty

Childhelpusa.org – the sad truth is that even kids in beautiful homes are subject to abuse behind closed doors, help kids by finding your local charity

If you want your charity added then please let us know using the contact form USA or Canada

Next Post – charities for seniors and the elderly coming soon!

If you are a community project or charity and you want to be involved – get in touch!

It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.”
~ W. T. Ellis

Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect.”
~ Oren Arnold

One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don’t clean it up too quickly.”
~ Andy Rooney

Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas… perhaps… means a little bit more.”
~ Dr. Seus, From ‘How The Grinch Stole Christmas’.

What I don’t like about office Christmas parties is looking for a job the next day.
~ Phyllis Diller

We all want to have as much fun as possible but still be kind to the planet, so here’s 6 ways that you can help to Green your festive Holiday.

The office party is often the place where disgruntled colleagues and co-workers vent at bosses, or the quiet hard workers show you a side of them that rears it’s head after drinking copious amounts of free alcohol and literally let it all hang out.

Here are some top tips for enjoying your office party without needing to take a sick day the next day, without having to update your resume and for staying safe.

What you wear

Do you want everyone to be talking about the fun they had last night or what YOU were wearing? If you intend to get drunk, wear clothes that will not end up showing the world more than you wanted to! In these days of smart phones with instant videos and photos uploaded directly to Facebook, watch the cleavage, the short skirt, the super high heels (slips and trips) and for guys, you may end up dancing all night so watch those dark shirts for sweat patches!

Remember it is still a business event so you will be judged by your colleagues, co-workers and bosses!

What you drink

It is easy to mix drinks at an office party as people hand them to you, or you just visit lots of places where your standard tipple may not be on the menu. It is a good idea to prepare for excess drinking by having a small snack before you leave so you have something in your stomach before the main meal starts so you do not get such an instant hit from the first drink.

Try to stick to one type of alcohol, try to drink a glass of water after each alcholic drink, but if you really can’t control yourself, you can buy charcoal tablets to soak up the alcohol before hand or milk thistle patches to aid the processing of the alcohol overnight – there is no substitute for sensible drinking as it’s not healthy to binge and you don’t want to end up in A&E having your stomach pumped!

What you say

Drinking lowers inhibitions, and there are too many stories about the receptionist letting rip at the boss and telling all of the senior management what she thinks of them all. If you have any grievances, try to work through them way before the office party, if you are a mean drunk, try to not drink as much or let people know that in advance so they can guide you to a sober path or forgive you more easily!

Leave the car at home

Don’t even think about staying for one drink and going home – that rarely happens – so leave the car at home and take the hit on the cab ride – don’t think you should pay your own fare? Well the boss is paying for the entire Christmas do so if you want to expand your career prospects, mix with the people that make the changes, and show that you really are the best dancer – then get yourself to the party and get mingling!

A Word about Safety

It goes without saying that bottoms and photocopiers don’t go but people still end up in the hospital having shards of glass taken out of their backsides! Some people have even died from falling into the element so beware it is NOT just a bit of fun

Other safety tips are no bare feet on the dance floor, don’t pick a fight, don’t throw things for fun, and definitely no leching over the office girls as sexual harrassment is more likely to get you a lawsuit than ever.

First shared for Thanksgiving this  Turkey recipe has been handed down through generations of Turkey Cookers (well at least one generation!) to Sean the owner of MyBadges.com

We hope you enjoy!

Seans Timeless Turkey Recipe

Scalding the turkey makes for a very nice moist turkey.

Directions:

1. Turkey must be thoroughly thawed before preparing for the oven unless you are using a fresh turkey.

2. Remove turkey parts from cavities and use as you desire.

3. Wash cavities well with cold water.

4. Boil a kettle of hot water (scalding hot.).

5. Place turkey in a clean sink or a large roasting pan.

6. Pour hot water over the entire turkey including in the cavities.

7. The skin will shrink tightly to the turkey.

8. This will help hold the natural juices in the turkey while it is cooking. Do not peel skin back to layer herbs under the skin. This will destroy the process for a moist turkey.

9.   ”Pat dry both inside and outside of turkey.

10. Cook it according to the directions for Turkey

 
Roasting times for a turkey
Approximate depending on factors such as whether you stuff it and how many times you open the door!

4-5 kg: 3 hours at 200C/400F/gas mark 6; start at 9, 10 or 11am to eat at 1, 2 or 3pm
5-6 kg: 3–4 hours at 200C/400F/gas mark 6; start at 9, 10 or 11am to eat at 1:30, 2:30 or 3.30pm
6-7 kg: 30 minutes at 200C/400F/gas mark 6, then 3 ½ – 4 hours at 180C/350F/gas mark 4; start at 8, 9 or 10am to eat at 1:30, 2:30 or 3:30pm
8-9 kg: 30 minutes at 200C/400F/gas mark 6, then 4 ½ – 5 hours at 180C/350F/gas mark 4; start at 7, 8 or 9am to eat at 1:30, 2:30 or 3:30pm

Once cooked, let it rest for at least 30 minutes or longer while you make the gravy and finish off the trimmings!

This is what I do every year. It never fails.

To pick a winner visit our page on Hire the World 

**Breaking News – 99 entries with 5 days to go
- will yours be #100?**

2013 is our 25th Anniversary Year, so to celebrate, we’ve decided to invite designers and design students to create us a new 25th Anniversary logo.

Don’t worry if you’re not a designer – you can always vote for your favourite!

The contest is open to anyone and closes in on the 11th November, so spread the word, like, share, tell your designer friends or even have a go yourself

The prize is $375 in cash to spend on whatever you want to spend, so with Christmas coming up – that could be useful!

Winners get their logo on show on our website for the whole year, the logo may also be used for any promotional items for the year – the winning design will receive

• $375 cash prize
• A credit to the person chosen as the winning entry, their company or their university
• An article on the blog post with a link
• Year long exposure on our twitter page, website and Facebook Design Header
• There will also be other opportunities to design supporting materials throughout the year!

To see all entries visit the MyBadges Page on Hire the World

Enter the competition  or vote for your favourite design

 Here are some of the designs we have already received!