Whatever the reasons, there are plenty of fine alternatives to the old brandy-in-egg-nog mixture that I can never seem to think about without throwing up a little in my mouth.

I found some cocktails that not only whet the whistle, but they just give you that warm, fuzzy, holiday feeling. You know, the kind that makes you forget you troubles like that speeding ticket from the Statey who didn’t want to hear your lame ass excuses on the Pike, or the hot blonde with the rack that never called you back last week, even though she seemed totally excited when you bought her a drink down at one of the Faneuil Hall bars and gave you her number before her giggling gaggle of girlfriends dragged her to the next bar.

Drink up, my friends.

If you happen to find yourself down in Dot, don’t miss the Ashmont Grill. Not only is the food great and the service fantastic, but the drinks shouldn’t be missed. The Berkshires Manhattan is a vanilla-infused bourbon mixed with apple cider reduction, Markers Mark, and orange bitters. This one is really different because is mixes the flavors and really hits the pallet. And one for you rummies: The Ashmont Apple Toddy is steamed apple cider, brown sugar, and Captain Morgan.

If you really want to try something wacky, and a little scary at first glance, UNI Sashimi Bar in The Eliot Hotel on Comm. Ave. has a $17 346 Below. Its Hammer & Sickle Vodka straight up with liquid nitrogen. By the way, if you drank liquid nitrogen straight, youd die, so dont try to copy this one at your next party.

For a hint of high class, UNI also has the Monarda: St. Remy Cognac, bergamot syrup, whiskey bitters and a splash of Louis Bouillot Cremant be Bourgogne (a pink sparkler).

If you’re a fan of pumpkin pies and all those great holiday desserts and need a cocktail to pair with them, head north to Za Za in Saugus. The Pumpkin Patch Martini combines vanilla vodka, pumpkin spice liquor, cream de cacao, and pumpkin pie filling and finishes it with a dollop of whipped cream and a candy corn to create a great spiced after dinner drink that’s good with dessert. But lets be real, youre really going to Saugus to scoff down some Sonic burgers. If you class it up at Za Za afterward, we wont tell anyone.

Back on the subject of rum for a minute, I always lumped rum in with tequila as a summer booze. Its in those hilarious buckets of booze you can buy at the supermarket, and you put it in daiquiris. And I do enjoy the occasional Captain and Diet. But I never really thought of rum as something to reach for during the cold weather months. Burtons Grill in Fenway found a way to change my mind. The Burtons Hot Buttered Cider combines Captain Morgan, Stoli Gala Apple, Navan Cognac, apple cider, cinnamon, sugar, and butter and makes something that will warm your stomach. Its $9 and available through December 31. Heres how you can make it yourself:

For one drink, you need:

75 oz Captain Morgan
.25 oz Navan Cognac
.5 oz Stoli Gala Apple
1 oz Monin Cinnamon Simple Syrup
6 oz Hot Apple cider
1 100 scoop of whipped butter (yes, actual butter)
Cinnamon sugar rimmer

In an Irish coffee mug, rim with cinnamon sugar. Combine all ingredients except butter in mug. Stir to mix. Garnish with a scoop of butter.

John M. Guilfoil runs BlastMagazine.com and is a freelance news reporter in Boston. He can be reached at guilfoil.j@blastmagazine.com.

That’s why many retailers are ensuring that they have service quality systems in place to avoid the typical holiday mishaps between shoppers and service staff, according to the American Society for Quality, which provides service quality training for many industries, including retail.

“The top four causes of customer dissatisfaction are out of stock items, discontinued items, returns and shipping charges,” says John Goodman, an ASQ customer service expert. “These are issues that are easily resolvable if sales staff have the right tools and training.”

Bigger stories like Bath & Body Works, for example, provide staff with training to handle these kinds of complaints. Its sales staff takes steps such as maintaining eye contact with customers during every step of the sale. They are also trained in how to detect and respond to unspoken needs and are told to “treat a return like a sale” because a properly handled return will often move the customer to buy something else.

Best Buy is ranked highest in customer satisfaction among national and multi-regional major appliance retailers, according to a new report by J.D. Power and Associates. One key reason is that they make customer service training a priority.

In addition to a rigorous certification process, employees are well-educated on complicated products and solutions, enabling them to better help customers, says Mike Fisher, senior director of Lean Six Sigma for Best Buy’s corporate campus in Richfield, Minn..

The store’s TRUST model ensures that employees thank consumers for coming into the store, respect their opinions, understand their needs, solve challenges together and thank and support the ongoing consumer relationship.

“Our goal is to put more sales staff or ‘blue shirts’ on the sales floor instead of handling paper work and other duties,” Fisher said. “That way they are immediately available to assist consumers with their questions and needs.”

While many retailers will make an extra effort to ensure excellent customer service this holiday season, Goodman suggests that customers take these steps to help ensure a positive sales experience:

• Get to know the sales clerks at your favorite stores. This ensures that you will be in the loop regarding stores sales and events. A salesperson who knows you may also be more apt to help if a problem does arise.
• Research store policies before you buy. Being aware of policies regarding cash refunds or sale merchandise returns can help you avoid problems later on.

So what happens when you run into a problem? Goodman offers these tips for successfully handling service complaints.

• Take three deep breaths — when you are upset you may not think clearly and therefore often don’t present your case logically.
• Tell the company rep that you know that the problem is not their fault – this reduces their defensiveness.
• After outlining the facts, state exactly what you want the rep to do for you – if you don’t they might go off in the wrong direction in developing a response.
• Don’t ask for cash compensation for your time — companies can almost never do that, but they can give you credit toward your bill.
• Never use profanity — most reps are authorized to hang up on you if you do.
• If you have been a long-term customer, point that out but don’t exaggerate — employees can often access your actual purchase history.

The simplest and most important thing you can do is to recognize good service when you receive it by remembering to say thank you.

Courtesy of ARA Content

Lack of time is the biggest challenge to achieving fitness goals, according to a recent poll by IDEA, the world’s leading organization of health and fitness professionals. The organization recently polled more than 1,500 of its members to identify the top challenges that keep us from sticking to our fitness resolutions, as well as what is on the fitness horizon for 2008. More than 60 percent of those polled cited a lack of time.

“Exercise is fun when you find a fitness routine that you enjoy and fits into your lifestyle,” says Jake Steinfeld of CEO Body by Jake and Founder of ExerciseTV. “Burning calories, feeling great and looking great on your terms – now that sounds like a plan!”

Consider one of the following to refresh your active lifestyle in 2008; who knows, you just might have fun in the process:

Downward Dog – Relieve stress and burn some calories through yoga or Pilates. Classes are usually smaller than group fitness classes and are a great option for people looking to ease back into a wellness routine. According to the survey, fitness experts predict these activities will see the most growth in 2008. Calories burned in yoga or Pilates exercises: 230-250 calories per hour.

Drop and Give Me 20! – Already a popular group activity, fitness boot camps are expected to continue to grow in popularity. These classes offer nontraditional, in-your-face fitness instruction, hold participants accountable for proper nutrition and deliver noticeable results in as little as 30 days. If you enjoy being outdoors, this could be just the activity for you. Calories burned: 300 per hour or more.

Bring Sexy Back – Dance continues its resurgence as a way to burn some calories in 2008. Fitness professionals surveyed are talking about Zumba, a fusion of Latin and international music combined with unique moves that is based on the principle that a workout should be fun and easy. If you’re looking to unleash the exotic “diva” in you, consider signing up for a fitness pole dancing class. These classes not only get you in shape, but also are known to be great self-esteem boosters. Calories burned: 280-400 per hour, depending upon your “boogie level.”

Get Personal – While it’s definitely an obvious recommendation (82 percent of the fitness professionals surveyed recommended), engaging a personal trainer might be worth another look. Personal training provides a one-on-one, customized experience tailored to your individual fitness abilities and goals in a manner that is convenient for you. So, if you hate to use weights, a trainer can develop a program using resistance bands to achieve the same goals. Smaller, more personal facilities are springing up around the U.S., and many personal trainers are willing to come to you – whether at work over the lunch hour, to your home on weekends or to the local neighborhood park. Calories burned: varies with exercise.

More, More More – There are many ways to burn a few extra calories staring us in the face everyday, all that’s needed is to take advantage of the opportunities. Some of the most popular activities to stay active away from the gym that are recommended by fitness professionals to their clients include:

• Taking the stairs – Resolve to walk up three flights or less instead of taking the elevator. Calories burned: 10 per flight.
• Walking at lunch – Commit to a quick 20-minute power walk three days a week. Calories burned: 80 calories per walk.
• Playing with your kids – A quick game of tag can elevate the heart rate and just may sharpen your reflexes. Calories burned: 115 per hour.
• Gardening – Putting a bit more “elbow grease” into pulling weeds and planting flowers may have extra benefits in the long run. Calories burned: 230 per hour.

So take some simple, positive steps toward a health lifestyle, like eating right and pursuing fun exercise. Remember, weight loss requires a reduced calories diet and regular exercise. Make a New Year’s commitment to a fitter you.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

I’m guilty of it just the same.

“Mainstream (e)-cards tend to be sappy and maudlin. In a word, they suck,” said Nancy Gomez, who decided to try to change all that by starting Rattlebox.com. It’s a new e-card website that prides itself on a new kind of card. “They have attitude,” says Gomez.

Rattlebox e-cards try to keep from “sucking” by using footage from over 40,000 hours of popular television show. The site is also open to visitor-submitted videos, and users can make money by submitting popular videos for others to use.

What I found most appealing about Rattlebox is the amount of power a user has over the card they send. A unique feature of the video content is the fact that the clips are totally customizable.

In the majority of E-cards on the internet, the greeting and/or closing is the only thing that a sender gets to customize. However, this restriction does not affect the Rattlebox cards. Every message is presented with a default script, but every line in the card can be changed, giving senders the opportunity to customize the card specifically for any recipient.

It’s almost as if you’re the producer of each card you choose to send. “We’re very excited about this unique feature, since it gives people the opportunity to really interact with the media, personalize it in a whole new way, and communicate and connect,” Gomez said.

This amount of editing power users have, plus the opportunity to submit their own material for cards, is what founders hope will attract visitors to the site. “People are drawn to social networking sites (like MySpace and Facebook) because they want to express themselves on their own terms. Rattlebox lets them do that,” Gomez points out.

Rattlebox continues with this approach with the option for users to send their cards through Instant Message or post them in blogs and networking sites for their own visitors to see.

Like other e-card sites, Rattlebox offers cards for a wide selection of occasions, such as birthdays and holidays. Although, unlike the majority of competitive sites, Rattlebox offers cards that they sort into categories like “Insults” and “Provocative”. Quite a few of these cards are preempted with a cautionary message, warning that the following videos are “probably (most likely) offensive. If you are easily offended, you should go. We understand.” Try finding a message like that on a Hallmark e-card.

So the next time you want to send someone an e-card that’s not going to get deleted- say a nice “Happy New Year” card- check out Rattlebox.com. You may actually get a thank you card in return this time.

Executive Chef Rebecca Newell will feature passed plates of gypsy fare and desserts (including chocolate fountains and a cotton candy machine) throughout the evening with influences from Europe, the Mediterranean and good ol’ Americana, all served in a cocktail setting. Continue your celebration and toast the evening with The Beehive’s list of over 25 Champagnes!

The event Begins at: 9:30 p.m. and runs until 2:30 a.m. Cost is $95.00 per person plus cash bar. Tickets/Reservations are available by calling the Beehive at 617.423.0069.

Quick hits:

Where: The Beehive, 541 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02116

When: Monday, December 31, 9 p.m. – 2:30 a.m.

Cost: $95.00 Reservations/Ticketing Available by logging on to: beehiveboston.com

About:

The Beehive or “La Ruche” — was an early 20th-century artists’ colony in Paris where the likes of Matisse and Chagall worked and made merry. Today The Beehive is an underground Bohemian bistro featuring amazing cuisine, libations, artwork and live music nightly. Nestled below the Boston Center for the Art’s historic Cyclorama in Boston’s South End, The Beehive serves the eclectic fare of Chef Rebecca Newell, rustic comfort foods infused with American, European, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern influences. Open for dinner 5:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. seven days a week, and with cocktails and live entertainment available nightly until 2:00 am.

Seems like an untrue statement for a woman who’s 5′10″ until you visit elfyourself.com and start the elfmorphosis.

By uploading up to four photos, you can create a whole group of elves for your dancing pleasure. It is easy to upload photos with tools there to resize and rotate and allow you to get your face right in there. The fun part comes when it’s time to upload a message. Call a toll free number and following the instructions!

All that’s left to do is give the dance instruction. After you press play your elf self begins a rock concert dance to Jingle Bells with your message playing throughout in your elf’ed voice. This is a hilarious holiday treat!

The Pogues “Fairytale of New York”
Christmas Eve in a New York City drunk tank, a down on their luck dueting Irish couple (Pogues singer Shane McGowan and Kirsty McColl) trade insults and heartbreak before the holiday magic sets in. My all-time favorite.

The Kinks “Father Christmas”
Blending economic reality with dreams of beating up a department store Santa, the Kinks rock their way to second on the list.

KC101 “Christmas in East Haven”
DJ’s from radio station KC101 (WKCI 101.3) sing about a place very near and dear to me: East Haven, CT. This song became a local favorite when it came out years ago and is still pretty accurate. For those of you who have not been to East Haven—visit. The town was also the setting for the opening of Oceans’s 12.

“Oi to the World”
Written and originally performed by the Vandals, I prefer No Doubt’s version of this song about a gang war on Christmas. “If God came down on Christmas Day, I know exactly what he’d say / He’d say Oi to the punks! Oi to the skins! Check out this awesome song and everybody wins!”

The Darkness “Christmas Time”
This song rocks so much you’d wish it was Christmas every day just so you can play it.

Run-DMC “Christmas in Hollis”
Like DMC with the mic in his hands, with this song you’ll be chillin’ and coolin’ like a snow man.

The Ramones “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight)”
This song was actually recorded by some of the lesser-known members of the Queens punk band: Rudolph Ramone, Donner Ramone, Dixon Ramone and Dancer Ramone. The original title was the “Blitzen Bop.”

Adam Sandler’s Chanukah Songs
There are a lot of famous Jews; more than enough for a fourth installment. Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David haven’t been honored yet.

Blink 182 “I Won’t Be Home for Christmas”
Who hasn’t lashed out on a bunch of Christmas carolers? I haven’t because I’ve never seen or heard of Christmas carolers going door to door singing outside of movies and TV. I feel that’s another Hollywood myth like families passing down wedding rings.

Billy Mack “Christmas is All Around”
This is the song in Love Actually. I saw it and thought it was very good. Even better when you think of all the washed-up real-life rock stars who should resurrect their careers with a Christmas record that is really a remake of an earlier hit. I don’t know about you, but I’d be ecstatic for a “Winter of ‘69.”

Mr. Garrison “Merry Fucking Christmas”
The title says it all.

Dr. Elmo “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer”
A classic. I agree: they should never give a license to a man who drives a sleigh and plays with elves. Seriously, have you ever been stuck behind a sleigh on the road? Not cool.

John Lennon “So This is Christmas”
Someone answer me this: how many John Lennon songs involve children singing in the background? It has to be a greater proportion than any other musician, greater than the ratio of jokes about kids to songs by Michael Jackson and R. Kelly.

“Blue Christmas”
I actually might have to go with Bright Eyes’ remake of this Elvis tune. Blasphemous I know, but who’s more believable in having a blue Christmas.

“Jingle Bell Rock”
Originally done by Bobby Helms in 1957, this song has been covered by everyone, including Hall and Oates, Billy Idol, Hilary Duff, Randy Travis, Brian Setzer and Arcade Fire. I can only hope Andrew W.K. takes up the cause.

“Christmas Wrapping”
The Waitresses did the original but Save Ferris remade it with Monique singing about being a Jew on Christmas in LA and even asking why Adam Sandler didn’t give her a shout-out.

Eazy-E “Merry Muthafuckin’ Christmas”
Yes, this is a real song. Christmas in Compton.

Anything by Bob Rivers and Twisted Radio
From “I Am Santa Claus” (”Iron Man”) to “Police Stop My Car” (”Feliz Navidad”), Bob Rivers is the king of Christmas parody. Here’s an idea: “Santa’s Little Helper” to the Stones’ “Mother’s Little Helper.”

Artists that Should Record Christmas Songs

Buckcherry
It might actually be a good thing Buckcherry doesn’t have a Christmas song yet. If they did, its inevitable awesomeness would generate so much holiday spirit that the entire Pacific Northwest would be leveled to fill the need for Christmas trees it would produce.

Mandy Moore
This is mainly so Mandy could make a video in which she dresses in a Santa hat and suit. I think it should also include a hot tub. Baby, it’s cold outside.

Rage Against the Machine
With all the commercialism and injustice on Christmas, how has Rage not written a song about it?

Afroman
I’m sure he’d be able to write something about hos, Christmas “trees” and unwrapping some Colt .45. He probably even started, but then got high.

Bruce Springsteen
Bruce’s Christmas song would give the entire history of Christmas and before performing it at a sold-out arena, he would tell the entire story behind the song and what he was doing while he wrote it. Scrooge would be a character that really represents the government and the record would sell 20 million copies.

I Didn’t Forget These Songs, They Just Suck

Paul McCartney “Wonderful Christmas Time”
Sucks might be too strong a word. Annoying is too weak.

Dave Matthews “Christmas Song”
Too boring.

Late addition: “The Night Santa Went Crazy” by Weird Al

It’s by Weird Al and based on “Black Gold” by Soul Asylum. Far from Miracle on 34th Street, this ballad about a “yuletide Rambo” is not only holiday gold, but possibly one of Weird Al’s best songs and that’s saying a lot. Come on, it includes ‘reindeer sausage.’ Speaking of Rambo, has anyone else seen previews for a new Rambo movie? Please tell me I’m not imagining things.

“With holiday gift-buying in full swing, college students are at even greater risk than usual of falling into traps set by credit card companies using predatory lending practices,” said Jim Campen, Executive Director. “Americans for Fairness in Lending is getting out a holiday season tip sheet for these students, already a favorite target for marketers of credit cards. We are also circulating a fact sheet on college students and credit cards.”

1. Don’t get tricked, trapped or suckered into a card with bad terms. If you want a credit card, get one with a long-term low interest rate (APR). If you get a low introductory rate, chances are it’ll start at 0% and then jump to 20% with one almost-on-time-but-didn’t-quite-make-it payment. Still want a credit card? Just know what you’re in for…
2. Once you choose a card, don’t let your guard down. Credit card companies are notorious for changing rules and playing GOTCHA. Look through those mailings they send…they may include a nasty change in terms.
3. Pay your bill on time. Better yet, pay it several days ahead of time. If the due date is on a Sunday and your payment (duh) arrives on Monday – you’re late! Don’t laugh, this is REALLY common. And when you’re late – see (1) above, your interest rate jacks up.
4. your bill in full. Whenever possible. And as quickly as you can.
5. Do not go over your credit limit. And set the credit limit as low as possible. Don’t be fooled – credit card companies LOVE to give you a credit limit you can’t afford.
6. Stay as far away from a credit card ‘cash advance’ as you can. The interest rate on cash advances is MUCH higher and credit card companies apply any payment you make to whatever else you owe first. That cash advance hangs around unpaid and with increasing interest until you DO pay your bill in full. Did we already mention that they’re looking to get you?
7. Ignore those in-store “15% off today if you sign up for our credit card” offers. You’ll pay back what you saved and then some REAL fast.
8. Carry only one card. Less confusion. How many companies do you want abusing you at once?
9. If you do get into credit card debt, get help right away. Don’t wait until it gets worse. Try the Consumer Action Help Desk at http://www.consumer-action.org/helpdesk/.
10. Remember your other option: CASH

Also, college students and recent grads, feel free to download this PDF from AFFIL.