But it’s hard to believe the Christmas holiday is little more than a week away. If you’ve still got shopping to do, there are plenty of tips online to help you develop your strategy – and to help you avoid overspending.

Whether you’re ready for the upcoming holiday, or haven’t even started to prepare, we hope you find time to relax and enjoy all the season has to offer.  And remember, there are many ways to incorporate your favorite non-alcoholic beverages into this time as well – from reflecting on fun memories of the beverages you and your family shared as children, to making holiday ornaments out of recycled beverage containers, to basting your holiday ham with cola.

Whatever you do, have a safe and happy holiday!

If the crowds start to stress you out, take a breather.  Sit back, enjoy your favorite refreshing beverage and remember – you’re helping to spur the economy.   Now, not everyone is up to facing the crowds – some would rather spend the day still visiting with family and friends, or perhaps recovering from a little too much turkey.  Whatever you decide today, we hope you enjoy your day.

And, if Black Friday shopping fails to bring you “tidings of cheer,” just remember, Cyber Monday is only a few days away.

In fact, as we head into what is an important shopping season for our nation’s economy, we also wanted to remind you that the beverage industry employs more than 208,000 people and has a direct economic impact of $178.5 billion.

And if you’re anything like us here at Sip & Savor, there’s probably a favorite beverage that brings back happy holiday memories. So as you get ready to embark on what is likely to be a busy season filled with friends, family, shopping, parties and more … take a moment to kick back, relax, enjoy that favorite beverage, reflect on the past and look toward the future!

As the President and Members of Congress seek solutions to our double-digit unemployment and lagging economy, we’d like to remind them that the beverage industry is an important part of America’s economy.  We provide more than 208,000 good-paying jobs across our country – and help to support hundreds of thousands more that depend, in part, on beverage sales for their livelihood – with a direct economic impact of $178.5 billion. In fact, beverage companies, employees, and firms and employees indirectly employed by the industry also provide significant tax revenues – nearly $26 billion at the state level and as much as $32 billion at the federal level – and generously contribute at least $1.9 billion to charitable causes in communities across the nation.

And we take great pride in the fact that our industry is a long-standing contributor to the economic engine that drives our country.

We, too, care very much about these issues.  After all, our industry is an important part of America’s economy.  With a direct economic impact of $178.5 billion, we provide more than 208,000 good-paying jobs across our country – and help to support hundreds of thousands more that depend, in part, on beverage sales for their livelihood.

Our presence is felt in every corner of every community in America – from our products in the aisles of neighborhood stores, to our local delivery drivers who distribute them, to our support of local community initiatives and more. So we’ll be tuned in tonight to hear what the candidates have to say – and we hope you will be, too.

We’re not here to share opinions on the possible shutdown, we’ll leave that to our readers.  But should things remain at an impasse, let’s remember that 800,000 federal workers in communities across our country will be furloughed.  All at a time when folks are already struggling to stay afloat.  And for those yet to file their federal tax returns but in need of their refunds, make sure to e-file or you just may be waiting a while.  Again, the economic impact of a shutdown will be felt in the wallets and pocketbooks of everyday Americans.

Here in the nation’s capital, we’ll be impacted beyond federal employees and services.  Approximately 14,000 District employees are expected to be furloughed and many services will be suspended, as the nation’s capital is viewed as a federal agency during a shutdown. Thankfully, it has just been announced that tourists who spent their hard-earned dollars to come see the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade tomorrow will still be able to do so, albeit with the route slightly altered.  But for those of us who live here, we won’t be able to register our vehicles or obtain drivers licenses; our children won’t be able to visit their local libraries; students at the University of the District of Columbia won’t have classes; and, for at least a week, we won’t have our trash picked up.

So let’s see what the day brings us … and let’s hope for the best!

Families across the country are holding their own, but they still can’t afford, and certainly don’t want, an increase in costs at common stops like the gas pump and grocery store.  And these statistics show us that, while we have come a long way to pull ourselves out of a recession and into recovery, we still have a long way to go.

It’s times like these that we need to embrace U.S. businesses and seek policies that promote and stimulate job growth in the private sector.  With a direct economic impact of $178.5 billion, our industry has a significant effect on our nation’s financial system.  We provide more than 208,000 good-paying jobs across our country – and help to support hundreds of thousands more that depend, in part, on beverage sales for their livelihood.  We provide significant tax revenues at both the state and federal levels, and generously contribute to charitable causes in communities across the nation.

According to a recent study by The Nielsen Company, here is your competition:  Nearly one in five Americans will shop Black Friday—the unofficial opening of the Christmas buying season.  And more than half of them plan to spend between $100 and $500.  A survey for the National Retail Federation predicts up to 138 million Black Friday weekend shoppers.

Everyone, it seems, has ideas on how to game the sales.  The Boston Globe, for example, offers 10 tips to shoppers before they head for the mall, the supercenter or go online. Others recommend the buddy system or offer tips for the “full contact sport.”  Use your favorite search engine and you’ll find news articles and blogs about how to get the best buys, what to be on guard for, how the shopping starts early this year and how to securely do your online shopping.

We hope you will find these resources helpful.  Enjoy the day and have fun with the sales – the holiday season is in full swing!

Well, there have been some in Congress talking about raising taxes on the middle class by a dime and a lot more in order to pay for health care reform. One such proposal being tossed about is a discriminatory tax on soft drinks, juice drinks, sports drinks, vitamin and smart waters and more. In fact, Rep. Allyson Schwartz, D-Pa., actually proposed taxing these products exactly one dime per can – or a 20 percent tax hike per 12 pack of soda.

The Congressional Research Service (CRS), a non-partisan entity, recently reviewed a proposal in the Senate Finance Committee of a 3-cent per can tax on these beverages and found that, when applying President Obama’s standard, 96.4 percent of the burden of the beverage tax would be borne by those making less than $250,000. And 70.6 percent of the burden would be paid by those making less than $91,297. The CRS left no doubt that this would be a highly regressive tax.

The study helped prompt a group of Democratic lawmakers from swing districts to write a letter to the House Ways and Means Chairman urging him not to pursue a tax on juice drinks and soda. The lawmakers wrote: “These taxes would most heavily impact low and middle-income Americans and create new burdens for small retailers and grocers…Taxing certain grocery items would simply increase the overall cost of groceries at the register, and reduce the amount consumers spend each week on food. As a result, consumers are just as likely to reduce expenditures on fruits and vegetables as they are to reduce expenditures on the items subject to a tax.”

Common sense. And a recognition by these lawmakers that, as leader of their party, President Obama’s pledge not to raise taxes on the middle class transcends down the political chain to members of House and the Senate from his party. After all, they all benefited from that campaign promise.

Bottom line – in this economy, people don’t want more taxes. Period. And they certainly don’t want to see taxes on their groceries increased.

So, after the President returned from overseas, he took the time Monday in a Rose Garden event to make it perfectly clear where he stands on his promise and options for paying for health care.

“And during the campaign, I promised health care reform that would control costs, expand coverage, and ensure choice. And I promised that Americans making $250,000 a year or less would not pay more in taxes. These are promises that we’re keeping as reform moves forward.” (Emphasis added.)

Thank you, Mr. President, for being a stand up guy and sticking to your commitment.

Two days later, the House Ways and Means Committee released its version of the health care reform plan. It did not include a tax on juice drinks and soda, or any other tax on middle-class life. We thank the members of this Committee for taking heed to the pain hard-working families are facing right now – and how every penny, nickel and dime adds for families in this economy.

We hope the Senate Finance Committee comes to the same conclusion that the complexities of health care reform aren’t going to be solved by a tax on soda pop.

As the economic news in this country continues to slide rather than rise, it might help to keep in mind another strong line from the President made in Denver: “In an economy like this, the last thing we should do is raise taxes on the middle class.”

At Sip & Savor, we get to see this hallmark trait in action every day by working with our great companies. And, hopefully, our customers feel the results of their dedication when they buy, sell or consume our products every day.

Today, our member companies are coming to Washington for what we call our Annual Fly-In. It’s an opportunity to meet with their Members of Congress and remind them of the many great contributions our industry makes to their communities and constituents. Make that, our communities and constituents – for whether a lawmaker or a beverage bottler, our ultimate goals must be the same: to provide the best service and best products possible for those we serve.

We’re an industry that is woven in the fabric of a community and our country. We’re literally in every community in every corner of this great land.

Our industry provides 220,000 jobs across the country. These are blue-collar jobs, union jobs and white collar jobs. They’re in towns large and small. And they are jobs that come with good health benefits. All important traits as we do our part to help protect jobs for hard-working families and help our nation climb out of this economic recession. And, we indirectly support more the 700,000 more jobs.

Our members aren’t coming to Washington asking for a hand-out like other industries; rather we always come offering our government a hand up and deal with its tough challenges. We take the same approach with the communities we serve. Now, our industry is having its struggles, too, make no mistake. But our focus is to deliver the highest quality service with as little disruption to our customers, our communities and our employees as possible. And to help this nation dig out of its economic hole.

Overall, the beverage industry contributes $98.5 billion to America’s economy every year, with an indirect contribution of $136 billion. We pay our share of taxes, too. Each year we pay nearly $21 billion in state taxes and $27 billion in federal taxes; not to mention generating $8 million in state sales tax.

But our contributions go beyond economics. We are there for our communities. Whether its donating water, sports drinks or soft drinks for community events and functions, or in times of emergency; supporting local Little Leagues and community athletics; or adjusting the beverage mix in schools (including removing full-calorie soft drinks) in partnership with our parents desire to help teach our children the importance of a balanced diet and exercise – our industry always answers the call. It’s because we’re your neighbors and your friends, living and working side-by-side in our communities.

We produce fun, refreshing beverages that are meant to be enjoyed. We’re that simple. And we can’t succeed or make these contributions to our communities without you.

So, thank you.