This is our last posting until Jan. 5, so we thought we'd ask a few folks about their plans for the holidays. Heather and Tony Podesta, lobbyists who each own their own firms, were heading to Australia. Jerry Howard, CEO of the National Association of Home Builders, said he was working, except for Christmas Day, when he has pledged to turn off his Blackberry. Others were heading as far away as Egypt or just staying close to home around Washington D.C. and taking a few deep breaths in anticipation of a very busy 2009.

Meanwhile, the folks at Columbia Books who publish the semi-annual "Washington Representatives" volume, produced a cute (or some may say cynical) e-mail titled, "The 12 Days of Lobbying." They link lobbying and advocacy groups to each refrain of "The 12 Days of Christmas." It goes to show, there is a lobbying group for everything.

Here's a little tidbit:

A Partridge in a Pear Tree: The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission may not be able to provide you with a partridge, but its members help in promoting research of pear trees. In fact, the commission will hold its Northwest Pear Review Research in February. The commission has hired an outside lobbyist for work on agriculture issues.

Two Turtle Doves: Doves represent the National Peace Foundation, an organization that promotes conflict resolution.

The rest you can find in the PDF here.

Happy Holidays everyone! See you in 2009.

                           -- Bara Vaida, Robert Gettlin, and the rest of the UndertheInfluence team