January 2015

National Skating Month
U.S. Figure Skating member clubs and basic skills programs across the country seek to recruit new members by offering ice-skating training from professionally trained instructors (www.usfsa.org). The clubs and programs can give the fledgling skaters scarves, fleece head bands, beanies and/or other items when they attend the classes.

National Personal Self-Defense Awareness Month
Karate dojos, boxing gyms, fitness centers that run kickboxing classes – all can capitalize on the New Year’s resolution fitness fervor with campaigns that encourage people to sign up for self-defense activities (www.nsdi.org). Give folks who enroll in self-defense classes a free branded water bottle and face towel.

National Glaucoma Awareness Month
Ophthalmologists, health networks and nonprofit organizations are encouraged to educate their local communities about this disorder through screenings, forums and programs (www.preventblindness.org). Pens, stress relievers, signage, sunglasses and awareness ribbons will help promote these organizations and their initiatives.

National Volunteer Blood Donor Month
Help health-care providers and blood banks in their promotional push to encourage blood donation and thank those who give at drives (www.redcross.org). Wristbands, ribbons, stickers and signage are all items that can figure into these campaigns. For kids, provide coloring books about the importance of donating.

Jan. 10-25

National Western Stock Show & Rodeo
A massive rodeo and livestock show (www.nationalwestern.com) attended by approximately 650,000 people, the months before this event provide ample opportunity for you to sell logoed wearables – including caps and jackets – to ranchers, farmers, riders and others who will be attending or participating.

Jan. 12

National Clean-Off Your Desk Day
Cleanliness and organization are components of wellness. So, encourage your corporate wellness clients to make the most of this day by providing staffers with branded screen cleaners, power clips and other items that will help them spiff-up their workspaces and get more organized.

Jan. 13

Poetry At Work Day
Poetry is all about creativity. And in today’s marketplace, creativity is the fuel that powers many of your clients’ operations. As such, have customers like software firms, Web designers, graphic designers, advertising agencies and more use this day (www.tweetspeakpoetry.com) to reinvigorate their staff’s imaginations with mind-expanding activities that include a bit of word-smithing. Novelty berets will lend a fun “beatnik” air to the initiative, and you can provide any number of items as rewards for creative ideas.

Jan. 25-31

National Nurse Anesthetists Week
Health networks and individual hospitals will be in the market for nice branded gifts to give nurse anesthetists (www.aana.com), who administer approximately 34 million anesthetics to patients annually in the U.S. Fleece vests, speaker boxes, portable device chargers and even personalized mugs would make great gifts.

Jan. 25-Feb. 1

Meat Week
At participating restaurants in cities across the country, people gather for special BBQ-themed feasts (www.meatweek.com). Provide “Meat Week” T-shirts for staff and for sale to patrons. Also think buttons, caps, bibs, wet napkins and more.

Jan. 23-31

Catholic Schools Week
Catholic schools across the country plan special activities to celebrate their heritage (www.ncea.org). While logoed items that include pens, pencils, folders and even apparel (shirts, hoodies) can form a part of these initiatives, don’t forget about signs and banners schools may need for particular events.