Hopefully all your cards have been sent, your house smells of fresh pine needles and colorful lights are shining brightly in and outside your home, because today is Christmas Eve! Everywhere, people are busy singing carols, doing last minute holiday shopping, wrapping gifts and getting ready to spend quality time with their families and loved ones. The eggnog may very well have already started flowing, the ugly sweaters in full effect and children across the United States are anticipating a busy morning of digging through stockings and tearing through apart wrapping paper.

Indeed, the Holidays are heartwarming for everyone, including us here at Bell Sports. This is in part due to some of the aforementioned holiday customs (who doesn’t enjoy a hearty ugly sweater party?!), but also because of all the new bikes being rolled out this season.

We spoke with Santa earlier this month, and he said that, traditionally, a bicycle is one of the first things on many children’s wish lists. Of course, we made sure Santa had our phone number so he could place orders for True Fit Helmets to go with all those bicycles! We thoroughly enjoy the thought of children across the land jumping on a bike for the first time and starting what hopefully turns into a healthy lifetime hobby.

For some tips on how to properly teach your little one how to ride a bike, check out REI’s expert advice. They suggest the most important consideration when teaching a child to ride is that you keep it fun. Some children will pick it up faster than others, and patience is key. For more information, including the proper way to wear a helmet, check out REI’s Teaching a Child How to Ride a Bike.

Another fun and exciting thing to do around Christmas, specifically, is to bake cookies and leave them out near the fireplace with a glass of milk, so as to build anticipation for your little ones. But rather than making them wait up all night to catch a glimpse of ol’ Saint Nick, why not actually track Santa on his journey around the world this Christmas Eve? NORAD, the bi-national military organization responsible for the aerospace and maritime defense of the United States and Canada has been tracking Santa’s Christmas Eve journey’s for more than 50 years. You and your children will easily be able to find out where Santa is at anytime on Christmas Eve at NoradSanta.org.

Also, in case you missed our holiday helmet giveaway that took place last week, we are extending the holiday spirit post-holiday – we’ll be giving away more free goodies early in the New Year! Check back soon for your chance to win!!

On a final note…regardless of what Holiday you celebrate (it doesn’t matter if there are sugar plums dancing around in your head or Latkes on your plate), we at Bell wish you a very Happy Holiday!!

Last Friday kicked off Hanukah and we shared some (perhaps) lesser known facts around the holiday and now, this final Friday before Christmas we hope to do the same!  So, go ahead and read on to see if we’ve dug up anything that may surprise even the Christmas aficionados!

1. Most people take for granted that Christmas is an official holiday, but, it wasn’t always that way. Christmas didn’t become a federal holiday in the U.S. until 1885, when Congress established it as a paid holiday for federal employees. (Suite101)

2. During the ancient 12-day Christmas celebration, the log burned was called the “Yule log.” Sometimes a piece of the Yule log would be kept to kindle the fire the following winter, to ensure that the good luck carried on from year to year. The Yule log custom was handed down from the Druids. (Quizerama QI Scrapbook)

3. Bike enthusiasts that want to channel their Christmas spirit into holiday greetings can check out several creative, cycling-themed holiday card designs – and many of them rounded up in one place courtesy of Cylelicious. (Cyclelicious)

4. The original Santa Claus, St. Nicholas, was born in Turkey in the 4th century. (BaconBabble)

5. The poinsettia is a traditional Christmas flower. In Mexico (its original birthplace), the poinsettia is known as the “Flower of the Holy Night”. Since the 19th century, the poinsettia has been associated with Christmas. (KidsGen)

Being in the holiday spirit, last week we posted our first Holiday Helmet Giveaway, and aim to get it out to our lucky winner in time to make a fun and useful gift! As part of the giveaway we asked people about their favorite holiday traditions and what gifts they are most looking forward to giving and receiving.  All they had to do was leave a comment answering one or all of these questions, and they were automatically entered in a drawing to win a free Bell True Fit helmet of their choice!

Well, the results are in, and we’ve randomly selected Martha Renda as the winner of Bell’s Holiday Helmet Giveaway.

Martha said this Christmas is the most special to her because she already has the most wonderful gifts: She is a gradparent who recently received custody of her three grandchildren – ages 3, 4 and 7.

“We are starting over again as parents, but what a wonderful gift we have been given,” Renda said.

We hope you enjoy the helmet, Martha!

Be on the lookout for future helmet giveaways.

Thanks to everyone who participated!

The holidays are upon us and Jack Frost is nipping at everyone’s noses. With Hanukkah starting on Friday and Christmas around the corner, it made us over here at Bell wonder – how many of you could use a new helmet this holiday? A helmet is not the flashiest gift, nor the most expensive, but it is a perfect gift to give that cyclist, bmx’r or little biker in your family – the designs are very cool, and it shows you care about their well being. Even if they already have a helmet, it never hurts to have a spare one for when they want to bring a friend along for a ride, or when an upgrade is needed due to damage (check out our Your Stories Told feature to see firsthand how a Bell helmet saved one man’s life!).

Regardless of whether or not you’d planned to give a helmet to someone this Hanukkah or Christmas, we’re asking everyone to leave a comment below and tell us one (or all) of three things:

1) What is your favorite holiday tradition?

2) What gift(s) are you hoping to receive this year?

3) What gift(s) are you most looking forward to giving this year?

The best part? One lucky person who leaves a comment will win a free Bell True Fit helmet!!

That’s right; we’ll send one lucky person a Bell True Fit helmet (any size, any style – based on availability) just for sharing some of their holiday spirit with us.

Comments will be closed at 5p.m. PT on Thursday, December 17, 2009, at which time we’ll choose one commenter at random, and send them a free Bell True Fit helmet to arrive in time for the holidays!

Want that to be you? All you have to do is leave a comment below. Be sure to leave your name and a way for us to reach you. Or you could always send your comments to us on Twitter @BellTrueFit.

And if you have a twitter account, please also leave your twitter handle in your comment. We can’t give you a free helmet if we don’t know who you are!

Happy Holidays!

Photo courtesey of FocusHack.com

What comes to mind when you think about the upcoming holiday season? Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Eve are obvious first thoughts. But what about that other thing involving retail stores, product deals, and gift wrapping? Yes, we’re talking about holiday shopping sales! – Finding the perfect gift for someone is almost as fulfilling as receiving the perfect gift. To help assist you in your quest to find these perfect presents, check out some of these tips for seeking out the best deals, coupons and other discounts available on the web.

MSN Money has thoughtfully reviewed the 8 top sites for online shopping deals, which includes general bargain sites like Overstock.com, deal aggregators/coupon sites like Fat Wallet and shopping bots such as Shopzilla. Shopping bots allow you to quickly search for merchandise across a wide variety of sites, making your gift hunting easy and painless!

At The Washington Post, The Web Hostess (a.k.a. Monica Hesse) answers shoppers questions on how to score deals and find merchandise this season, and she also welcomes people to share their best online shopping secrets tips and tricks. Here’s an excerpt between a reader in Arlington, VA, and the Hostess:

Q: “I’m a big fan of Consumerist’s Morning Deals feed, which aggregates sales from across the Web.”

A: “The good thing about Morning Deals is that it contains sales on everything from computers to clothes, meaning it’s nice if you’re not sure what you want to buy or for whom. Just browsing can spark some ideas. If you’re looking for something specific, it can be a little hit-or-miss.”

Paid Content’s Tameka Kee recently pointed readers to Groupon, a social, online deal-finding service that spotlights coupons from local businesses – be it a restaurant, massage studio or even a theater. There is one catch though…there is a minimum number of people that need to sign up, in order for the discount to take effect. To help move this along, Groupon makes it easy for people to quickly notify their friends about the deals through Twitter, Facebook and e-mail.

Need a helmet tip straight from the source? Bell True Fit helmets are available online for purchase at retail sites including Target, Toys R Us, Wal-Mart and Sears.

Visit Where To Buy for a complete list of stores carrying Bell True Fit helmets.

Do you know of any online shopping deals? Have a favorite site to find coupons that we might have overlooked? Leave a comment below or send a tweet to @BellTrueFit letting us know where you go online for your holiday shopping! 

The word Thanksgiving conjures up a variety of autumnal images – pilgrims and Native Americans, yellow, orange and red leaves falling and covering the sidewalk, Hand Turkey artwork and family and friends gathering around the table to enjoy a mouth-watering feast filled with mashed potatoes, yams, stuffing, turkey, cranberry sauce and more!

In addition to these standard impressions of Thanksgiving, there is one thing that comes to mind to us here at Bell as being dear to the heart no matter what the holiday – bicycling! And what could be better than a brisk, post-dinner friends and family bike ride with loved ones this Thanksgiving? Not only will you be working to help combat all the tryptophan-induced drowsiness you’re sure to be feeling, but you’ll be doing it with the people we hope you’re the most thankful for – your family and/or friends!

If you need some ideas of where to head to, Bicycling Magazine’s “10 Fall Foliage Rides” lists some great autumn biking spots in Wisconsin, Utah, Michigan, West Virginia, Virginia, New York, Colorado, Pennsylvania and North Carolina where the changing season can best be observed. (Bicycling.com)

Or perhaps you live in Baltimore? Well, on the Friday after Thanksgiving, cyclists are gathering for a post-Thanksgiving Critical Mass bike ride that you should certainly look into. (BaltimoreSun.com)

Even if you don’t see your home turf listed above, there’s no reason to get discouraged – sometimes the best bike paths are those waiting for you just outside your back door. No matter where you live, if you do decide to take the family out for a Turkey Day bike ride, be sure you are all wearing helmets.

However you decide to spend your holiday tomorrow, we hope you have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving and you take the time to reflect on what you are thankful for. Already know? We’ll be thankful to you if you let us know, below

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!!

In the United States, Veteran’s Day takes place on November 11 every year and serves as a federal holiday in remembrance and observance of our troops. Well, in honor of the all the brave US soldiers who have served, fought and dedicated themselves to defending our freedom, we would like to dedicate today’s post to saying “Thank You” to our men and women in the armed forces.

Seeing as we’re in the helmet manufacturing business, we thought – what would be a more fitting way to show our gratitude than to highlight the military by providing some insight and historical context about the military helmet?

1) In 1981, Bell Sports introduced products for anti-ballistic military and law enforcement use. (Bell Sports)

2) The development and expanded use of steel helmets “saved the French” in WWI as it enabled them to disregard German artillery fire. (NYTimes.com)

3) During World War II, the United States designed and standardized the M-1 helmet, which became the symbol of the American soldier and was used afterward in the Korean and Vietnam wars. (ehow.com)

4) Thanks to generous donations, Operation Helmet has sent 46,009 protective helmet-pad upgrade kits to U.S. soldiers in the field. (Operation-Helmet.org)

5) In April 2009 Army Staff Sgt. Matthew Harvey received a Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge after being shot in the helmet and continuing to return fire during an enemy attack in Najaf, Iraq on Feb. 10. Harvey’s life was saved by his Advanced Combat Helmet. (Army.mil)

Thanks again to all the veterans out there for your service, and let’s not forget about the role helmets have had in the safety and protection of those who risk their lives for our freedom.

BOO! For all the soon-to-be goblins, witches and vampires out there – this week’s post is for you! In honor of Halloween, we’ve decided to share some facts around popular costumes, trick-or-treating and (of course) bicycle rides/events that you may want to keep in mind while gearing up for this year’s All Hallows’ Even.

1. According to LIFE magazine, some of the best selling/most popular Halloween costumes and ideas in 2009 are Bernie Madoff masks, Kate Gosselin wigs, Star Trek uniforms, and everything Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Miley Cyrus (aka Hannah Montana) and Transformers. (Life.com)

2. Bell Sports has helmets that are perfect for enhancing every outfit, especially if you’re planning to be a cyclist this Halloween! (Bell True Fit)

3. More than 93% of children go trick-or-treating each year, more than 90% of parents admit to sneaking goodies from their kids’ Halloween trick-or-treat bags and around 62% of adults will be handing out candy because it’s a “personal favorite” or “household tradition”. (Halloween-Safety.com)

4. Instruct your children not to eat any treats until they bring them home to be examined by you. You never know what types of tricks might be hiding in your child’s treat bag. Make sure all candy is sealed and safe to eat. (Halloween-Safety.com)

5. In Massachusetts, bicycle enthusiasts have been gathering on Halloween every year since 2000 for an 18-mile Halloween Bike Ride that meanders through the streets of Boston, Brookline and Cambridge. (HalloweenBikeRide.net)

There are also many helmet-related costumes available, such as a firefighter, astronaut and a soldier. On that note…If you or your child are going to be riding a bicycle in costume (or at all on Halloween) be sure to cover your noggin with a bicycle helmet! Whether you have children to take trick-or-treating or you’re heading off to costume party, safety should always be your No. 1 priority.

Do you have some unique or interesting costume ideas? Know of a Halloween bike ride planned for your area? Share them with us by leaving a comment below, or sending us a tweet @BellTrueFit.

Hope you all have ghoulish good time tomorrow night!

As the classroom rhyme goes, in 1492 Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue. Columbus made the long, arduous journey from Spain to the New World four times – looking for a new route to Asia, and establishing an era of European settlement in the Americas. In the United States we celebrate Columbus Day on the second Monday of every October. In consideration of Columbus Day, which is October 12, 2009, this week’s facts are about the long arduous journeys that many of us make on a daily basis: commuting. While we understand it’s not possible in every instance (such as across an ocean), we thought we’d provide you with some reasons why you should choose to commute by bicycle!

1. More than half of all Americans live less than five miles from where they work. (Bicycling Magazine)

2. One hundred bicycles can be produced for the same energy and resources it takes to build one medium-sized automobile. (CaliforniaBikeCommute.com)

3. The League of American Bicyclists encourages commuting by bike to fight pollution, stay fit, avoid traffic delays, save money, and enjoy your commute. (Walk and Bike Berks County)

4. The cost of U.S. traffic delays is estimated at more than $63 billion each year. (Forbes.com)

5. Always wear a helmet, because the direct cost of cyclists’ injuries due to not using helmets are estimated at $81 million each year, rising with health care costs. (Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute)

6. A Bell True Fit helmet provides Channeled Ventilation and super comfy padding, so it can be can be worn during your commute without annoying. (Bell Sports)

Columbus and other early sea-faring explorers had primitive vessels and supplies compared to today’s standards. They also had much longer and more stressful commutes. Do you currently bike to work or school? If yes, do you have any tips for someone just looking into it? If not, have you ever considered riding your bike to work or school? What factors influence your decision? We’d love to hear

Vorbereiten, setzen, gehen! Go where, you ask? To Germany! In honor of this weekend’s big Oktoberfest festivities, we thought we’d focus our attention to our friends in Deutschland!

1. According to the book titled Grosser Fahrrad-Atlas Deutschland, by Mair Geographischer Verlag, German Karl von Drais invented bicycling over 175 years ago. (Bicycling in Germany)

2. Oktoberfest isn’t the only big event that takes place in Germany in October. During the Festival of Lights in Berlin (October 14-25, 2009), 45 of Berlin’s most iconic landmarks and historic buildings are illuminated every night, and special “lightseeing tours” are offered by bus, boat, or BICYCLE! (About.com)

3. Grofa GmbH is the name of the Bell Sports distributor in Germany. (Bell Sports)

4. The Pfälzerwald Mountain Bike Park in the Palatinate Forest of Germany is a trail network that consists of five main routes. (Mountainbikepark Pfaelzerwald)

5. According to German bicycle laws, you must have a bell (no, not this Bell) on your bicycle to warn pedestrians and other cyclists of your whereabouts. (German Laws)

Going to actually be in Munich for Oktoberfest this year? Rather than filling your belly with beer why not get an early head start on that “healthy lifestyle” you’ve been gearing up for and sign up for Mike’s Bike Tours, Munich! What are your plans for the final weekend of Oktoberfest this year? We’d love to hear