December Monthly Observances
Bingo's Birthday Month, National Stress-free Family Holidays Month, National Sign Up for Summer Camp Month, National Tie Month, Safe Toys and Gifts Month, Spiritual Literacy Month

December Weekly Observances
Cookie Cutter Week: 1-7
Recipe Greetings For The Holidays Week: 1-8
Operation Santa Paws Week: 1-22
Human Rights Week: 10-16
International Language Week: 15-21
It's About Time Week: 25-31

December Daily Observances
Hypnotize Yourself Out of Pain Now Day: 1
Safety Razor Day: 2
Coats for Kids Day: 3
National Communicate With Your Kids Day: 5
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day: 7
International Civil Aviation Day: 7
Nobel Prize Awards Day: 10
Gingerbread House Day: 12
ClichŽ Day: 13
Bill of Rights Day: 15
Barbie and Barney Backlash Day: 16
Underdog Day: 17
Abilities Day: 22
National Whiner's Day: 26
International Walk Day: 30
No Interruptions Day: 30
Make Up Your Mind Day: 31

Turkey Trot!

From November 1 to December 15, run a promotion called the "Turkey Trot". It is geared to enhance class participation in what can be some of the slowest months of the year.
Each participant receives an orange punch card with a picture of a Turkey, the game rules and numbers to be punched. Every time they take a class, the instructor punches the card. At the end of the 6 week period, the cards are turned in and prizes are awarded. Every participant receives a pocket planner from All That Glitters. The person with the most punches receives one free personal training session, the person with the second most punches wins 20 free group fitness classes, the third most punches receives 10 free group fitness classes.
This is a low-cost promotion which yielded good results for my program last year. The winner attended 4 classes a week during the 6 week promotional period. The overall average of all participants was about 3 classes per week.
Download Turkey Trot materials here (Word documents):
Promotional poster
Turkey Trot rules & guidelines
Turkey Trot punch card

(Thanks to Carolyn Barnard, Fitness Supervisor from the
City of Overland Park, Kansas, for the suggestion)

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