Dateline Monday 12th January 2026

HAPPY NEW YEAR for the last time as I think second week of January it is as they say enough already. I hope you are fit, fine, wonderful, and well, and looking forward to a sterling year in 2026

I am delighted to tell you that our 2026 has seriously kicked off or as James Kent of The J Team DMC Japan said “it is at a gallop already” the team are about to operate a six city event  Sapporo-Osaka-Fukuoka-Naha-Tokyo not necessarily in that order, AIM DMC Portugal have today stared to operated together with our agency client and their corporate client a group of 500 pax, plus as you will see from the MM and Company news section we also have been very DMC busy.

Its only 12^th January twelve days into a New Year and look at the state of things. Venezuela has a new President courtesy of President Trump, Iran is erupting, I think it has gone beyond the point of no return, sadly a lot of young Iranians will not see the regime fall as the regime will try to hang on to power at the point of a hundred thousand guns. Prick Putin still is waging war or as he calls it his special military operation in Ukraine, Whilst Sudan might be a “sideshow” there is a barely reported civil war going on, China is still banging on about Taiwan. The big D is wanting to take over Greenland by fair means or foul, and whilst he is going about it in his “bully them into submission” style he has a point, both Russia and China also want it but he is being more honest about it. There have been skirmishes on the border of Thailand and Cambodia, as well as on the Indian Pakistan border. Don’t get me started about Syria. We certainly cannot be smug saying we are OK we are “Europe” if Prick Putin get his way in Ukraine where will he go next?

Storm Goretti visited our precious Island and gave us a bit of a clobbering, very down south in Cornwall and Plymouth took the brunt of the gale force winds, Scotland, the north of England and the midlands took a serious dumping of snow, every where was blooming cold, this week however it appears that the weather is coming to us from the sunny south of Europe our temperature will be at 10 – 12 degrees C a much better prospect than last week when we were at zero to +3 at best.

On a lighter note, the Golden Globes were awarded last night a prelude to The Oscars, it was another big night for the Netflix hit Adolescence, with the series winning the best limited series award and taking home three acting Golden Globes for co-creator Stephen Graham, breakout star Owen Cooper, and The Crown's Erin Doherty. It was a terrific watch. Over the end of year holiday I went to see the film Marty Supreme that starred Timothée Chalamet who won a Golden Globe for best male actor in a comedy or musical, I should add here that it was Hannah who suggested we go to see the film

Congratulations to Macclesfield who beat Crystal Palace 2-1 in the FA Cup third-round it is one of the biggest upsets in FA Cup history, National League North Macclesfield, formed five years ago from the ashes of Macclesfield Town, started the day 117 places below Premier League Palace and became the first non-League team in 117 years to beat the FA Cup

And that’s the view from my MM and Company desk for this week

MM and Company news update

MM and Company

We are honoured and humbled to tell you that three outstanding, well established, and experienced DMCs, have officially asked us at MM and Company to be their representation agency. The DMCs are:-

Event Makers DMC Greece covering ALL of Greece including the Islands

Ambiance Incentives DMC Spain covering ALL of Spain including the Islands

AIM DMC Portugal covering all of Portugal including the Islands 

Before we agree to represent a DMC, the DMC has to successfully navigate the hoops, jumps and obstacles that we at MM and Company put in their way, once they have to pass the due diligence process then we test the DMCs, I am again delighted to report to you that all the DMCs have come through, as I knew they would with flying colours. You may be already familiar with the DMCs as we have been successfully working with the DMCs over the past year, as a result of your trust in us to work with outstanding DMCs they have officially appointed MM and Company. Stay tuned for some more exciting news next week about a DMC in South Africa   

Japan

James and the crew at The J Team DMC Japan have told us that today, Monday they have a bank holiday it is “Coming of Age Day 2026” This holiday is dedicated to recognising the Japan’s newest adults who have reached legal adulthood after 2 April of the previous year or who will reach it by 1 April of the current year. Coming of Age Day is celebrated with family parties put on for those who have or who will turn 20 in the relevant April to April timeframe. There are also special, traditional ceremonies connected with Coming of Age Day. These take place at local government offices throughout Japan. It is traditional for women who’ve just come of age to dress their finest on Coming of Age Day. They typically wear a long-sleeved kimono, called a “furisode”, which they have rented or borrowed from a relative. Men used to wear traditional hakama, but nowadays, they usually wear a suit and tie.

 And that is about it for this Monday, you know as much as I know, wishing you an outstanding day and an awesome week ahead.