In this issue: CONSPICUOUS AUSTERITY CONSUMER TRENDS FOR 2009 SERIAL STUPIDITY TABLE FOR ONE NO LOGO And much, much more... ------------------------------------------------------------ ____ ____ ___ _____ ____ ______ ______ * / __ )/ __ \/ | / _/ | / / |/ / | / _/ / / __ / /_/ / /| | / // |/ / /|_/ / /| | / // / / /_/ / _ _/ ___ |_/ // /| / / / / ___ |_/ // /___ /_____/_/ |_/_/ |_/___/_/ |_/_/ /_/_/ |_/___/_____/ *Feeding hungry minds since 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------ Brainmail email issue 45 - November 2008 ------------------------------------------------------------ Brainmail is a free snack-sized newsletter dedicated to trends, innovations and other miscellany. To subscribe or unsubscribe to the world's best online cache of curiosities go to http://brainmail.nowandnext.com Tell the whole world about brainmail forward this to zillions of friends. ------------------------------------------------------------ > Ho, Ho, Ho? No, No, No! A department store in Australia once sacked a Father Christmas for saying "Ho, Ho, Ho". The store claimed that the phrase was derogatory to women and that Father Christmas should have said "Ha, Ha, Ha." Ref: The Week (UK) > From the Present to the Future A study claims that January 8th is the busiest day of the year for divorce lawyers with up to 20% of couples enquiring about divorce after the pressure of Christmas. The enforced intimacy of Christmas, together with thoughts about the start of a new year are thought to be the main trigger. Ref: Daily Telegraph (UK) > Christmas Fruitcake Christmas pantomime performers in Norfolk (UK) have been banned from throwing sweets into the audience because, in the words of the organizers, "someone might get hurt". Ref: The Week (UK) > White Lies A survey of 3,000 parents in the UK has revealed that 84% tell their children that Father Christmas only gives presents to good little children. 80% also said that Santa only visits children who go to sleep nicely on Christmas Eve. Ref: Daily Mail (UK) > Calendar Confusion Manufacturers of nativity calendars in the UK are considering reducing the references to Christ because, in their words, "there's no demand". Ref: The Week (UK) > Eco-Tree, Oh Eco-TreeÉ In 2007, the 84-foot Christmas tree at Rockefeller Plaza in New York featured 30,000 energy saving LED lights and carbon credits were bought to offset the tree cutting process. Then again, surely an 84-foot tree is a carbon credit? Ref: New York Times (US) ------------------------------------------------------------ : STAT SHOTS 31 Australians have died since 1996 by watering a Christmas tree when the lights were plugged on. Ref: Australian Bureau of Statistics (Aus) 65% of people in the UK drink Champagne on Christmas morning but only 18% toast the Queen later in the day. Ref: Daily Telegraph (UK) In the UK, around 46 million toys, worth £870m will be thrown away at Christmas. Ref: Daily Mirror (UK) China exported over $500m worth of Christmas tree ornaments to the US in 2005. Ref: US Government Foreign trade figures (US) 5% of Briton's eat roast Chestnuts at Christmas. Ref: Daily Telegraph (UK) There are approximately 22,000 Christmas tree farms in the US Ref: USDA (US) The average child in Britain will open 18 presents on Christmas morning, worth £330. Ref: Daily Mirror (UK) 16% of Briton's sing carols at Christmas. Ref: Daily Telegraph (UK) The average Briton spends £600 on presents alone at Christmas, much of the cost going on a credit card or loan. Around 10,000 people end up bankrupt and insolvent in the months immediately following Christmas due to their spending. Ref: Daily Mail (UK) 86% of people rate spending time with family and friends as the best thing about Christmas with only 7% quoting time off work, 3% food and drink and 2% presents. Ref: Daily Telegraph (UK) 1.9 billion Christmas cards are sent annually in the US. Ref: Hallmark Cards (US) The US postal service typically delivers around 20 billion items between Christmas and thanksgiving. The busiest day is generally December 21. Ref: US Postal Service (US) ------------------------------------------------------------ : QUOTE OF THE MONTH I bought my brother some gift-wrap for Christmas. I took it to the Gift Wrap department and told them to wrap it, but in a different print so he would know when to stop unwrapping - Steven Wright ------------------------------------------------------------ : WEB SIGHT OF THE MONTH Eddie Izzard on Christmas http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNqH6dCPe_s ------------------------------------------------------------ : JANUARY ISSUE OF BRAINMAIL A normal issue of brainmail, focussing on trends and innovations for 2009, will hit in-boxes in January. ------------------------------------------------------------ : STILL HUNGRY? If this snack-sized newsletter still leaves you feeling hungry feed your brain with something a little more substantial at www.nowandnext.com (and yes, that's free too). ---------------------------------------------------- : LOOKING FOR AN INSIGHTFUL AND ENTERTAINING SPEAKER? If you are looking for an inspiring speaker for your next event ask your speaker agency about Richard Watson or contact him direct via http://nowandnext.com Recent speaker clients have included IBM, McDonald's, Virgin, Commonwealth Bank and Disney. ----------------------------------------------------- : SMALL PRINT The stories, statistics and 'facts' appearing in brainmail are sourced from a variety of reliable publications worldwide. However, brainmail cannot guarantee the truthfulness of stories and a degree of commonsense should be applied before quoting or using any of this material in a commercial context.