... And if you haven't picked up your copy of The Night Before Christmas, you better go get it.
Agent Turnberry is a real cool cat (he's got a lot of this, and he's got a lot of that). This past Sunday he stopped by the Children's Aid Foundation's 31st Annual Holiday Season Celebration, which is a fabulously festive party that spreads holiday cheer to hundreds of children in the care of child welfare services in the Toronto area and their families. Of course, he was delighted to attend such a worthwhile event, and we've just gotten word that he was an (almost) perfect gentleman at the affair. 
We're halfway through December (man, time flies!), which means it's about time to start thinking about those New Year's resolutions. And why not get a jump on it? We did! The whole Lug gang (only partially pictured) took a trip to two of our favorite local running shops—Running Free in Markham and Luke's Locker in Dallas—to get foot assessments and stock up on new kicks for the new year. Looks like there are going to be lots of happy feet running around the Lug offices!
Still got some holiday gift shopping to take care of? The Succulent Wife is here to help with gift guides for all kinds, from pets, teens, kiddos, and hostesses to the men and women on your list. And on that Gift Guide for Women is our Nap Sac Travel Blanket and Pillow Set. We couldn't agree with you more, The Succulent Wife. The Nap Sac is a brilliant gift for keeping the women in your life comfortable while they travel. 
I don't think anyone would disagree that the holidays can be hectic. So for this Color Theory Thursday, I thought it smart to review a calming hue like navy blue. 
Any lengthy trip requires a host of diversions—books, movies, games, and, of course, music. And it's only natural that holiday travel would require holiday tunes. A little mood music, if you will. Here's a little inspiration to update your playlist:
Millions of you packed up and hit the road over the recent holiday weekend, and with more holiday travel likely on the agenda in the coming weeks, I thought it would be nice to share some travel advice straight from our lovely Lug fans. 
We LOVE Nate Berkus, and he showed Lug some love on his show! Our bags were featured on The Nate Show this week during a segment about holiday travel. Here's what Nate's guest, travel expert Kendra Thornton, had to say about the Lug Shuttle Bus. Lightweight bags are the key. The lighter the actual bag that you are going to carry on, the easier it will be for you to use the bag. Don't go above 5 pounds with a duffel bag style carry on, and with a wheeled suitcase, keep it under 12 pounds. If you're in the market for a new lightweight carry-on travel bag, check out the Lug Round-Trip Shuttle Bus Weekend Bag (pictured above). It's cute, functional, easy to carry, and the multiple compartments will help keep you organized.
I hope everyone had the happiest of happy Thanksgivings, full of food, family, friends, and fun. And now, it's Friday. Black Friday, that is. A time for deals and steals. Being Black Friday, we at Lug have put together a fantastic deal for you! It's our Black Friday One-Day Sale. Just enter code Friday25 at checkout to get 25 percent off all purchases made on the Lug site today. The offer is valid until midnight, so go ahead and get a head start on your holiday shopping right from the comfort of your couch. You'll be closer to the fridge and your delicious leftovers that way, too. Yum.
You may think I'm talking about Thanksgiving, which, of course, is exactly one week from today. But I'm not. No, I'm talking about the deadline to enter this month's contest for LUG FAN OF THE MONTH, which is also exactly one week from today. Each and every month, Lug scours submissions and chooses one lucky Lug fan, who wins all kinds of Lug loot. And each and every month, the deadline to enter is the 25th. Christine Rivard was our September fan, and our October fan will be revealed later this month. Will you be our November fan? ... Not if you don't enter! Luckily, it's easy. Just go here, tell us why you're a big Lug Nut, and include a pic or two.
Holiday travel can be stressful. Okay, sure, that could have probably gone unsaid. I mean, with tens of millions planning to hit the road next week for Thanksgiving, there's bound to be plenty of stress to go around. But I've always believed that one key to being stress free is preparation. (See that woman in the picture over there to the left? She prepared.) So, I've scoured the web to find some sites with varied travel tips: First, here are some air travel tips. And here's a whole site dedicated to traveling with kids. Here are some driving tips. And for good measure, here are some tips for those who are stressed just from the thought of holiday travel and have convinced loved ones to travel to them.
Yay for a GIVEAWAY! 
With its quirky selection of home accessories, gadgets and toys, Yorkville's Rolo often takes the best gift shop prize. What's new this year is its amazing web boutique, where it's doing brisk business in voodoo doll pen holders, LUG cosmetic cases and digital wine thermometers.
Could there be a cuter children's charity event name than the Teddy Bear Affair? Answer: No. But more than a cute name, this black-tie gala benefits the Children's Aid Foundation, an organization that "works to provide funding for prevention, enrichment, and education programs" for at-risk children and youth. Lug is proud to be the main sponsor of the VIP section for this Nov. 6 event. 
Fall is in the air, and with fall comes a cornucopia of color—reds, yellows, browns, and, of course, ORANGE! Here are some interesting tidbits about the color orange. 
On October 15-16, Lug was a proud sponsor of a Toronto event called the Human Race, which benefitted the North York General Hospital. This huge hospital sees more than 100,000 patients a year, has the second busiest emergency center in the greater Toronto area, and delivers more than 5,800 babies each year (that's a lot of diapers)! Teams scored a custom Lug bag (pictured) to take on their "FUN-draising adventure," and we were happy to support such a great cause!
In just over a week, trick-or-treaters hit the street. Are you ready for the festivities? If no, you've got all weekend to get your ghoul on. 
We all know that when you look good, you feel good. That's why we're dedicating this post to some of the great new Lug products that help you help yourself. First, we've got three new cosmetic cases in varying sizes that make it easy for the girl on the go to glam up. So, from largest to smallest, check out the Tumbler Cosmetic Clam, the Parasail Ripple Cosmetic Case (pictured, pink), and the Punter Zip Pouch. Whether you've got a lot or a little to tow, you're covered. 
We're happy to announce lots of Lug love across the inter-webs today. First up is Blisstree's list of gym bags that don't suck, in which the fabulous Puddle Jumper is featured. "If you're stuck carrying a bunch of gear, Lug's Puddle Jumper bag can stand up to the task. ... Plus, it's big enough to use for weekend trips. That's a lot of bang for your buck."
We are so excited to be a part of the Promise Me Collection, which benefits Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. And we're extra excited that our pretty pink Lug bags are featured on the ShopKomen.com homepage! You may remember all the deets from our previous post, but if you don't, here goes: We've designed three Lug favorites (the Shuttle Bus Weekender Bag, Train Case, and Clearview Envelopes) exclusively for Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. Buy one today, and know that 25 percent of the purchase price will be donated to the cause—and a great cause at that.
This Lug Nut was spotted on the campus of the University of Oklahoma looking mighty cute with her Gondola Slouch Tote in Rose Pink. She recently went back to school to study a new language and needed a stylish book bag that didn't scream "student." As she says, "I get comments all the time about my bag, and I love to tell everyone about my love for Lug!"
Pretty spiffy, huh? We're excited about the new digs in Markham, which is in the greater Toronto area for those not familiar with the Great White North. Stop by if you're in the neighborhood. And if you're not, I guess you'll have to stop by your local Lug retailer to get your Lug fix!
This Friday and Saturday, the Rally for Kids with Cancer is racing around Toronto, and the Lug Undercover Bears will be manning a pit stop! It's always good to have a member of this furry force on your side, right? Plus, participants will walk away with one of our new Pedals Lunch Totes and custom "Rally" luggage tags (pictured). 
This Labor Day weekend, I took a trip to N'awlins—the Big Easy, the Crescent City, the birthplace of jazz—and, boy, was it fun. I could tell you about the food I ate (yum!), sites I saw (awesome history), music I danced to (thank goodness there is no video of my moves), but I'll leave all that to the guide books and give you my trip by Lug! 
Though ordering online is always an option, the fun of stopping by a favorite shop, browsing the goods, and chatting with salespeople is undeniable. A little retail therapy can sometimes be just the pick-me-up you're looking for, or as our July fan of the month, Jennifer Bradley, said in a recent blog post, "I realized what would make my day perfect: a new [Lug] bag." So, she stopped by her local shop and picked up the perfect addition to her extensive Lug collection.
Look at these adorable little Lug Nuts. They're snug as a bug in a rug, cuddled in their colorful Under Cover Bears. Or are they Nap Sacs? Either way, these cute kiddos sure look comfortable! Thanks for sending in the pic, Mom. 
If you love Lug and you haven't heard of our Fan of the Month contest, then you are really missing out.
The Echo isn’t much larger than most backpacks, but the sheer number of storage options, along with solid build quality, makes it a great bag for any situation.
Last year, we crowned the Lug SNUZSAC as one of the best travel products of 2009 - and it really is a fantastic travel product, offering a blanket and pillow in a single carry-on. And now the brains behind Lug just announced a kids version of the SNUZSAC ... called Undercover Bears. ... [I]f you pick the purple Undercover Bear, you'll be best friends with Agent Pufferton. This agent enjoys plum pudding and covers you with spirit and hope. How awesome is that?
Contests and food—two of my favorite things. If they're yours too, you are going to love the latest Lug contest. Just go here and upload the photos you think best represent what "living life in color" means. Winner gets dinner for two at (insert your favorite restaurant here)! $150 value! How delicious is that? ... Pretty delicious. Get to snapping those photos, people!
We love spreading the love here at Lug, and that's exactly what we did on June 23 at the first annual Joe Carter and Friends Golf Tournament. (There's lovable Joe, pictured above!) We sponsored the 11th hole, where we hosted a beanie chair toss—a high-skill, high-stakes competition where participants gingerly toss the beanie over their shoulder, trying to land closest to the marker and win. (See P.K. Subban's excellent form.) Winners scored a naturopathic remedy kit (click here if you have no idea what naturopathy is), and we also gave away our beanie chairs, luggage tags and coupons, plus Frommer's laptop sleeves and digital cases. We also custombranded our Shuttle Bus for the tournament and provided it to all the players. It was a great event, with proceeds going to a great cause—the Children's Aid Foundation. We're already counting down for next year's tourney!