The Promo Direct Blog

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and we are sure that everybody has big plans for the week. Here we list 8 interesting facts about this centuries-old tradition. Hope you enjoy reading them!

1. Remember Sarah Josepha Hale? She is the famous American author who wrote the nursery rhyme “Mary had a little lamb”. Hale campaigned for close to 20 years before Abraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday in November as a Thanksgiving holiday.
2. Sarah Josepha Hale is also credited with introducing traditional recipes for Thanksgiving dinner, which include turkey, pumpkin pie, stuffing and cranberry sauce.
3. The first Thanksgiving took place in 1621 when the Wampanoag Indians dined with the Plymouth Pilgrims. The thanksgiving feast included wild turkeys, deer, corn and barley.
4. In 1947, Harry Truman became the first President to pardon turkeys, a tradition that has been carried over till this day.
5. Popular folklore suggests that Abraham Lincoln was the first to informally pardon a turkey – he did so when he pardoned his son Tad’s turkey.
6. Residents of the Virgin Islands celebrate two Thanksgivings – the national holiday as well as October 19, which is known as Hurricane Thanksgiving Day.
7. Thanksgiving Day is ranked busiest day for travelers – Americans travel the most on this day!
8. Cranberries – a staple part of Thanksgiving feasts – were popularly used by Native Americans to treat wounds.

This Thanksgiving, make a difference in the lives of your customers and employees by giving away quality promotional products. Here is wishing you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Promo Direct!

Yes! It’s true! The American Express Centurion Card, also known as the “Black Card” is actually thriving even in these times of economic crisis. Just goes to highlight the ever-growing disparity in wealth across countries like the U.S.A.

Elizabeth Crosta, director of public affairs at American Express comments, “We’re actually seeing a rise in luxury spending…Our premium customers are definitely spending more and traveling more than they were a year ago.”

All the publicity has definitely augmented its success! “There had been rumors going around that we had this ultra-exclusive black card for elite customers. It wasn’t true, but we decided to capitalize on the idea anyway. So far we’ve had a customer buy a Bentley and another charter a jet, “said Doug Smith, director of American Express Europe. Going by the fact that for an 8-hour flight you could end up paying anything between $25,000 up to $50,000, and that a Bentley is one of those luxury cars that cost between $200,000 and $400,000, one clearly understands why this card is for the elite!

This card made of titanium and indeed all black, was introduced in 1999. It is now extended to customers exclusively on an invite-only basis. It is rumored to arrive along with a security guard in a “big, black, velvet-lined box with a mini computer and two black cards in it, one for business, one for pleasure.” There is a one-time $5,000 initiation fee and a $2,500 annual fee with the card. It has to be remembered that this is not a credit card, but a charge card where the user must pay the charged amount in full every month.

Here are some of the myriad benefits this card offers the wealthy:

Airport Lounge Access

24-hour concierge service

Companion Airfare

Foreign Transaction Fees

Roadside Assistance

Rewards Program

Coverage For Purchases

So this card is of the greatest benefit to those who are frequent travelers, stay long enough at hotels, and benefit most with the airline/airport perks.

These, my friends, are the ways of living for the uber-rich! Does this all leave you in envy or awe?

To view a large variety of promotional products for your business promotion and to enjoy low price and  discounts  visit our website at www.promodirect.com