...because batteries not necessary. After staring down a list of Christmas wishes that all require batteries or electricity, the make-your-own fun of stuffed animals is suddenly very appealing.
About 10 days ago, I received the darling duo above from the PR folks for Build-A-Bear Workshop. Let me introduce you to Holly and Hal Moose, the stars of "Holly and Hal Moose: Our Uplifting Christmas Adventure," which aired as part of the ABC Family Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas and is now available on DVD. (You can watch a trailer here.)
I remember when the Build-A-Bear Workshop first opened in our mall here. Annie was about 3 years old. I thought it was such a great idea. I've never been crazy about stuffed animals, but getting to build your own is such a fun idea. Over the years, we've gone to Build-A-Bear to mark special occasions (like successful potty training or the first day of kindergarten), we've been guests at birthday parties, and we've gone to make an animal to give away to a grandparent (always recording our sentiments on the sound button so the receiver can play them over and over again).
Once Holly and Hal are finished with their visit to our house, they will be headed to the Children's Bureau of Indianapolis to bring smiles to the kids who come to the visitation room. But, they will leave here knowing that they've been loved. Robbie loves Hal's antler's decked out in Christmas lights. Annie digs Holly's Ugg-like boots (so do I).
If someone on your gift list would like Holly or Hal -- or both, the giving is simple. You can go to www.buildabear.com and buy them fully dressed and ready to be loved. Or you can give a gift certificate so your child or grandchild can create the special friend themselves.
Not sure moose will do the trick? Check out the Build-A-Gift feature on the website. Or shop by occasion, price (starting as low as $12), or by cause - including children's health organizations, literacy programs and endangered animal causes.
And before you go thinking that stuffed animals are just for girls, check out the Darth Vader, Batman and NFL apparel to dress your bear (or lion or frog) in. And the coming weeks, you can make your own Alvin (of Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel fame)! I know you want one.
Have you been to Build-A-Bear Workshop? What's your favorite animal/character? Have you ever made a critter to give away? Who was the lucky recipient?
6 comments:
Hey I did this last week!!! My kids got their own build-a-bears and then we got a certificate for a free one that we donated to Memorial Hospital. It was really a feel good thing!
Ohhh, Build-a-Bear Workshop! The girls are too old for BABW now, of course (I'm not, but they feel they are), but they still have their bears, bunnies and one Westie dog named Izzy sitting on their beds.
I love BABW, although those initials now stand for Bath & Body Works in our house. We had a lot of fun over the years stuffing animals and buying clothes. Those are some of their most treasured childhood toys.
In fact, all those bears and bunnies have Christmas outfits, so Aisling dresses them and puts them under the tree just like your reindeer couple. So cute!
When I was in "Man of La Mancha," I ended up in charge of the gift for our choreographer. One of the favorite dance moments in the show was when 2 of the prisoners become the horses of Quixote and Sancho. The 2 horses had many wonderful moments and seemed to be audience favorites. Sancho and I headed to BABW and found a pony, did the sound chip ("Nancy, thanks for all the wonderful hoofin' you taught our cast! Man of La Mancha, The Belfry, 2000")
It was unique and special and really captured something from the show for her. That choreographer is my best friend's stepmom and so I know that she still has the horse and loves telling the story!
When my husband was deployed for Iraq for a year, he was able to take his 2 week R&R during our oldest child's 7th birthday. We went to Build-a-Bear w/ cousins for her party. During the part where they place the stuffed animals' hearts in before the stuffing process, he put one of his dog tags in each of our daughters' animals. So while he continued the deployment, their BaB toys had a part of Daddy in them.
First ~ Marine Wife, that is so awesome.
Amy ~ I did BABW with my son for his 5th birthday (which is 5 days before Christmas). We went to lunch and stood in line for hours. He still loves his "Spidey Bear." I am planning to give another son a gift card for a date with Mom, after Christmas to BABW. I have wanted someone to build one for me for so long. Can you email my husband? My oldest son built one for his girlfriend before he went away to college. At least I trained him right!
Sheri in CA
I LOVE Build-a-Bear. It's on my Christmas wish list, but I don't think I'm getting it. I really want to make the gray cat they have there. I currently have "Dusty" who is a decked out teddy with a tux, and "Bearly" who is wearing teddy bear slippers and a white t-shirt. :)
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