After a frantic few weeks Don't Panic finally shut up shop and sneaked off to Toronto for a bit of R&R and plenty of Xmas retail therapy.

We were working right up to the day before our departure with a major event on behalf of Fresh Consultants and Rochdale MBC and also the CIPR Xmas party in Leeds earlier that week.

Canada's a fantastic country and Toronto is certainly one of North America's great cities. Sadly we didn't get the usually guaranteed snow as Ontario basked in some unseasonably warm (ie above zero) weather.

We still managed to cram a lot into our week away and met up with friends for drunken nights in Parkdale, caught the streetcar to The Beaches, took a trip to Niagara and probably doubled the takings down Queen Street West.

We also caught the Cavalcade of Lights free event in Nathan Phillips Square which features live music, an ice rink and an amazing fireworks display off city hall every Saturday in the run up to Xmas.

Eating out is particularly good in the city although there's something slightly obscene about North American portion sizes and the amount of food wasting that goes on. We'd booked ahead for dinner at the 360 restaurant atop the CN Tower and have very fond memories of some great diner breakfasts...

It was also a good opportunity to think back on what's been a phenomonal year for our events company and focus on the slightly frightening thought of expanding for 2007. As the song goes, 'Later on we'll conspire as we dream by the fire, To face unafraid the plans that we've made, walking in a winter wonderland'.

It's probably the best time of year to reflect on how lucky we are and we want to wish PR student blogger Richard Millington all the best as he soon sets off to cycle 400km in five days across Kenya to raise money for a PC lab in one of the country's schools. He's not quite made his £2,500 fundraising target yet and anyone interested in helping him on his way can do so by following this link.

We'd like to thank all our clients, speakers and delegates for making our first year in business so fantastic and wish you all a great Xmas.

Finally Neville Hobson has thrown down the gauntlet by tagging me with the 'five things you didn't know about me' game. Well here goes -

1. In the early 90's I made it to the last two in auditions for a new presenter for Channel 4's youth music show The Word.

2. Also around that time I was a paid go-go dancer at Manchester's Hacienda nightclub.

3. I got married in Jamaica in 2004 to the sounds of The Durutti Column and Virgina Astley.

4. On seperate occassions I refused entry to Steve Coogan and Sarah Cox's dog and shared a lift with George Michael when I worked on the door at Manchester's Mash and Air restaurant.

5. I saw the original Take That about five times including their last ever invite only performance at Manchester Town Hall.