December 31, 2005
HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVE
Be safe and have fun! :o) Looking forward to a happy and healthy 2006!!

December 30, 2005
HOLIDAY ANGELINE RETIRES
http://www.ty.com/Dec05_Angeline_Ret

JANUARY INTRODUCTIONS
BEANIES: http://www.ty.com/JAN06_BB1
Cool Chick (purse), Eggs 2006, Erin (key chain), Fluff, Happy Birthday, Hutch Clutch (purse), Lucky O'Day, Meekins, Punxsutawney Phil 2006, Sunbonnet, Veggies

BUDDIES: http://www.ty.com/JAN06_BBD1
Meekins, Veggies

BASKET BEANIES: http://www.ty.com/JAN06_BSKT1
Billingsly, Marshmallow, Meekins, Sugartwist

ANGELINE: http://www.ty.com/JAN06_ANG1
Happy Valentine's Day, Valentine Angeline, Valentine Angeline (large)

PINKYS: http://www.ty.com/JAN06_PNK1
Glitters (key chain), Julep (key chain), Minuet, Rosa (key chain)

BABY TY: http://www.ty.com/JAN06_BT1
Bunny Hop (blue), Bunny Hop (pink), My Baby Bear (blue), My Baby Bear (blue)

TY CLASSIC: http://www.ty.com/JAN06_TC1
Billingsly, Boggs, Boudreaux, Bramble, Brinksie, Brodie, Eggsworth, Hatcher, Pinstripes, Pinstripes (large), Thatcher,  Macgilicuddy, Wentworth, Willow

PLUFFIES: http://www.ty.com/JAN06_PLF1
Quackies, Snackers

The Science of Holiday Sales
"Stuff Half Off in Limited Quantities!" Tricks retailers use to bait consumers to buy.
We're just days away from Jan. 1, and you know what that means -- awesome New Year's sales!

If you haven't already been assaulted by year-end, December-blowout-bonanza-you-won't-believe-these-prices marketing materials, just wait. Resistance is futile.

Scarcity: The makers of Beanie Babies had it right when they made limited quantities of these furry friends. Consumer desire skyrocketed for a beanbag toy. (See also: Cabbage Patch Kids.) Look around you, and see whether you can pick out any item in your possession that you could not live without -- or live with a different brand. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

ASK TY
Q: Will you be visiting the message board this New Year's Eve? (submitted by Bonsai)
A: I'll be there ! I will probably arrive early, leave for awhile and return late in the evening for a New Year toast. http://www.ty.com/askty_home

December 29, 2005
DECEMBER RETIREMENTS
http://www.ty.com/Dec05_Ret
Beanies: 2005 Holiday Teddy, 2005 Signature Bear, Alberta Wild Rose, American Blessing, Aware, Big Apple, California, California Poppy, Cheesly, Curls, Dundee, Fleur, Florida, Flurry, Fumbles, Georgia, Georgia Cherokee Rose, Goody, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays, Happy Holidays Garfield, Hero, Hollydays, Illinois, Illinois Violet, Kansas, Kansas Sunflower, Massachusetts, Massachusetts Mayflower, Merry Kiss-Mas, Merrybelle, Minnesota, Minnesota Lady-Slipper, New Jersey, New York Rose,  Ohio, Ohio Scarlet Carnation, Patrick Claus, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Mountain Laurel, Pluff,  Plymouth, Prunella, Season's Greetings, Snoops, SpongeBob Jollyelf, SpongeBob Sleighride, Tasty, Tennessee, Texas Bluebonnet, Yummy, Washington, Washington D.C., Washington Rhododendron, Weaver

Buddies: 2005 Holiday Teddy, Bloom, Bo, Booties, Colosso, Cutesy, Empress, Fancy, Filly, Gigi, Gifts, Mom, Mr., Mrs., Pooky

Jingle Beanies: Gift of Joy, Gift of Love, Gift of Peace, Gifts, Goody, Mr. Frost, Presents, Twinkling, Yummy

SILENT RETIREMENTS
Michael points out the following silent retirements: 
Both Promise bears have been silently retired as well as...
Michael writes: "Hi Lisa, I was just reading the Ty Talk Cyberboard and there appears to be even more silent retirments. 35 Ty classics have silently retired and are listed below and the link to the post. Along with that Beary Merry the Ty Pluffie and Candy Cane the Ty Pluffie has also silently retired. Even the entire Santa Claws Punkie Family have also silently retired. Michael" VIEW POSTING HERE
1 Alacazam
2 Bashful
3 Bearnard
4 Beasley
5 Binks
6 Bojangles
7 Carvington
8 Cashmere
9 Champagne
10 Chewey
11 Cody
12 Dodges
13 Forest
14 Fresco
15 Galaxy
16 Glamour
17 Goldilocks
18 Iceberg (ivory)
19 Iceberg Baby (ivory)
20 Mac Dougal
21 Meadow
22 Melvin
23 Mugsy
24 Paws (maple)
25 Paws Baby (maple)
26 Porridge
27 Rebel
28 Rumbles
29 Schultzie
30 Scooter
31 Scraps
32 Skippy
33 Squirt
34 Topanga
35 Tugs

December 29, 2005
NO NEWS
I've done my usual searches for anything Ty related and haven't found anything worthy of sharing with you today. I will check back in later and will update you on anything of interest that I may find.

December 27, 2005
HOW RARE IS THIS
Michael shares the following: "Hi Lisa, I found at a goodwill an unusual Ty Plush. It looks like Ty Classic Baby Curly and has an amercan flag on the bears shirt and the shirt is blue. Anyway what makes this differ is the tush tag. The Tush tag doesnt have the Ty Logo on it. Instead In place of that is the word: LIMITED. And the other side of the Tush tag says Ty Inc 1990. I was just wondering if you had any info on this weird find. Also I did find one that looks exactly like mine on Ebay . Anyway Below is the auction and I was wondering how rare this bear is? Michael" VIEW AUCTION HERE

TY STORE RETIREMENTS
Thank you to Michael for point this out...
His & Hers and the #1 Teacher bears have retired from the Ty Store
http://www.tytrade.com/TyStore

TY POSTS ON THE CYBERBOARD
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas !
Ty Warner   (Dec 27, 2005, 11:50 AM)
Message Id: 1069623
Ty Warner writes: Hello everyone. Sorry I did not check in sooner. I was out of town and didn't have access to the internet. I hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday !Thank you so much for your support this past year. I hope to join in on the party on New Year's Eve ! Talk to you soon. VIEW POSTING & REPLIES HERE

December 26, 2005
My true love gave to me ...

Detailing the gifts "my true love gave to me" starting Christmas Day and ending the day before Epiphany, the famous carol has such obscure presents as pear trees instead of toasters and turtle doves instead of neckties.

Six geese a'laying: about $30

A few years ago, Ty Beanie Babies sold for outrageous prices. Now, a quick Web search shows that a "Loosey the Canadian goose" goes for about $5. The goose no longer is available in stores, so the Web is a good place, although many former collectors sell their Beanie wares at the Kane County Flea Market.

Buy six of the Beanie Babies and leave them laying at the back of your closet with the pet rock, the Furby, the parachute pants and the other fad remnants. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

December 25, 2005
MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS, ETC. ETC.
I wanted to stop in and wish all of you a VERY happy holiday. Be safe and enjoy the love of family and friends all around you. Remember the reason for the season and pass along some smiles and hugs.

December 24, 2005
ANOTHER DONATION ARRIVES
Joan Carr & Brownie Troop #1152 sent 23 gift bags to donate. These bag have been decorated by the children and they have included decorated stuffed animals in these gift bags. http://www.planetbeans.com/KatrinaDonations.htm

11-Year-Old Donates More Than 1,000 Beanie Babies to Charles County Sheriff's Office
When Charles County Sheriff's Officer Jason Hopkins responded to a report of a three-vehicle crash in La Plata last year, he didn't know the immense effect one act of kindness would have for one of the victims.

The crash happened April 14 at 8:53 a.m. at the intersection of Crain Highway and Centennial Street and Becky Sanford and her mom, Andrea, were in one of the cars involved. Both Becky and her mom were injured in the crash. Their injuries were not life threatening but like any 10-year-old would be, Becky was very scared. That's where Officer Hopkins stepped in to help. He retrieved a small Beanie Baby from his cruiser, a white one with four-leaf clovers on it that a loved one had given him for good luck.

Becky took the bear with her to the hospital and after she was treated for her injuries, she took the bear with her everywhere she went. Then, she had an idea: Becky wanted to help other children who were involved in crashes or other scary situations so she decided to collect 500 Beanie Babies to donate to the Sheriff's Office. For several months she collected Beanie Babies from friends, family and others who donated. On Dec. 13, she presented Sheriff Frederick E. Davis and Officer Hopkins with 1,088 Beanie Babies after far surpassing her original goal. VIEW FULL ARTICLE & PHOTO HERE

MESSAGE FROM LES & SUE FOX
http://www.planetbeans.com/MessageFromLesSueFox.htm

CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS
I've posted a picture of our decorated Christmas tree and the lights outside our house at night. http://www.planetbeans.com/ChristmasDecorations.htm 

I would love to share your photos with my readers. If you decorate with Ty products for the holidays.. please consider sharing your photos. Lisa@planetbeans.com.

<<< NOTE: I'm sad to say that not one person has chosen to share their pictures. What happened to all those collectors that used to share news and photos with me and my readers? >>>

December 23, 2005
ASK TY
Q: If Santa were to ask you to lend a hand in delivery of Christmas presents, which Beanies would you choose to pull the sliegh? (submitted by DAGGETT)
A: Who could better lead the team than Rudy and Roxy ?!

Have a wonderful holiday season ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home

December 22, 2005
HOT TOYS, RUINED CHILDHOODS
It’s amazing what a Christmas frenzy can do to a holiday spirit. Whilst many shoppers are blissfully checking various items off their lists for last minute shopping, it,s important to remember that this shopping season did not start off so peacefully. At the onset of Black Friday, many cities reported incidents of violence tied into Black Friday shopping mobs at various superstores. Eager patrons trampled over each other to take advantage of early morning sales. In fact, police in Beaumont, Texas were forced to use pepper spray on the bargain-barging mob at Wal-Mart.

In addition to the iPods, laptops, and other electronics, the most sought-after gift this season was the Xbox 360. Many stores couldn’t keep up supplies with the ongoing demands for the latest, “greatest” video game console to hit the market until, oh, probably February when the PS3 comes out.

Where does this fever come from? Why does Christmas season drive us to such savagery over purchasing something that is, presumably, to give to somebody as a gift? All is fair in love and retail during the holiday season, apparently. As the last X-Box 360s are scooped off the shelves, it’s important to remember that many years have seen their shares of Christmas lunacy. And these toys are the ones to blame.

Beanie Babies

Ah, the power of marketing. Stuff a mitten full of corn kernels, sew a little bear face on it and call it a “collectible” and suddenly you have a hot item. That’s precisely what happened in the Christmas of 1997 when Ty unleashed its Beanie Babies on an unsuspecting nation. These “bear shaped” creatures became obsessions not only of children, but of parents and cracked-out homebodies who were more than willing to jack up the prices on these stuffed animals in an effort to have every damn one of them displayed in their living rooms.
In order to curb demand, some retailers would claim they were “out of stock” of Beanie Babies preying on desperate mothers who just had to have one before the holiday season only to have her pay up to ten times the price for what was essentially a $10 item. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

December 21, 2005
NO NEWS
I've done my usual searches for anything Ty related and haven't found anything worthy of sharing with you today. I will check back in later and will update you on anything of interest that I may find.

December 20, 2005
NO NEWS
I've done my usual searches for anything Ty related and haven't found anything worthy of sharing with you today. I will check back in later and will update you on anything of interest that I may find.

December 19, 2005
Opinion Shaper: Packrat theory says a lot about collectors
Collectors, and I include myself here, are a strange breed, an odd mixture of compulsion, longing and madness.

Slogging through antique stores, garage sales, flea markets, auctions, classified ads and the Internet to search for a mint condition, 1964 Beatles doll is simply not normal behavior for anyone, let alone grown adults holding responsible positions in society.

Yet millions of people collect something, ranging from coins and stamps to the more obscure railroad insulators and lunchboxes.

Do any of you find yourself in this same position? A simple set of Depression-era dishes grows to fill three china cabinets. Shot glasses, bought in memory of family vacations, now occupy 14 shelves in the tiny guestroom. One Beanie Baby magically swells to fill every nook and cranny with other Beanie babies, each in different sizes, colors and shapes, like some crazed science experiment gone berserk.

The dining room no longer exists, replaced by a glowing tribute to Mark McGwire and his amazing baseball career. Boxes of treasures, too numerous to display, lie hidden in the basement, anxiously waiting their turn to see daylight. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

BEAN WATCHER RETIRES
Sadly... one of the finest Ty news websites available is now retiring, effective today! BW you will be missed by a great number of people. Take good care of yourself. Thank you for all your time and efforts these past years. VIEW RETIREMENT ANNOUNCEMENT HERE

COMMENTS ON NEW BEANIES
Susan writes: "Lisa, I think they are cute, but they don't look like the Beanie we all know and love. Susan"

CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS
I've posted a picture of our decorated Christmas tree and the lights outside our house at night. http://www.planetbeans.com/ChristmasDecorations.htm 

I would love to share your photos with my readers. If you decorate with Ty products for the holidays.. please consider sharing your photos. Lisa@planetbeans.com.

December 18, 2005
JANUARY 2006 RELEASES
Cindy from Cindy's Beans shares the following: "Hi Lisa, I just posted pictures of the new January 2006 beanie babies on the front page of the website." http://www.cindysbeans.com

<< my comments: Ty has come out with some different style bears. I'd love to know your thoughts on the new releases. Especially Lucky O'Day the bear and Happy Birthday the bear. Lisa@planetbeans.com >>

TY TO MAKE DOG TOYS?!
Michael shares the following: "Hi Lisa, According to post on the Ty talk cyberboard someone posted that there is a NEW Ty product coming out and apparently someone else had more info on it. Supposedly not until the spring... But Ty is coming out with Ty designed DOG TOYS!! Have you heard of Ty creating Dog toys?  I wonder if they will be at Petco and Petsmart? LOL!!  And also according the post there will be 13 new Hallmark exclusives coming out in the year of 2006. Also according to the post they are going  to come out with more Pluffies in January. Michael"

Yep - dog toys for sure!! Can't wait to see them!
nutty4beanies   (Dec 17, 2005, 12:59 PM)
Message Id: 1067568
nutty4beanies writes: My rep said not until the spring.

Did you know Hallmark is going to have 13 new exclusives too? That's what I heard!!

More pluffies are coming in January as well!!

HMMM Can't remember anything else at the moment. VIEW POSTING & REPLIES HERE

December 17, 2005
Les and Sue Fox Launch "Logopogo" Shopping Website as an Amazon Affiliate
New York Times bestselling authors Les and Sue Fox say they have created the ultimate Amazon Affiliate website. Logopogo Shopping offers all 10,000,000 items found on Amazon in a unique, people friendly format.

Midland Park, NJ (PRWEB) December 19, 2005 -- Just in time for last minute Christmas Shopping, well known entrepreneurs Les and Sue Fox have launched an exciting new Amazon Affiliate named "Logopogo: The Great American Shopping Experience." Unlike the other 900,000 Amazon Affiliates, the Foxes have given Logopogo a dynamic personality and a completely different view of Amazon's vast product line. Featuring everything from kitchen appliances to TV's and cameras, videos and music CD's, sports items, jewelry, gold and silver, gifts, fashion, home decorating, art and tools, Logopogo is, according to The Foxes, "a new, fun way to explore the world of Amazon.com."

The following is an excerpt from an interview with Les Fox by Jim Ticchio of Direct Media News Service. Fox summarizes his business plan and goals for Logopogo, a clever, easy-to-remember name which incorporates almost all the letters of "Google" and contains the word "Go" twice. The complete interview can be seen at: www.Logopogo.com/pages/10/

An Interview with Les Fox

JT: Are you trying to change the image of Amazon?

LF: That's exactly what we're trying to do.     Remember, Jeff Bezos calls Amazon "Earth's Largest Selection," not just "Earth's Largest Bookstore." This November and December alone, Amazon sold over 100 million items. But we're different than Amazon. We invite shoppers to begin "The Great American Shopping Experience" at Logopogo.com.

JT: Didn't you sell something like 4,000,000 copies of "The Beanie Baby Handbook"?

LF:     We did. And it became the # 2 New York Times bestseller for six months back in 1998. In fact, Forbes Magazine published a full page story about us on April 6, 1998.

JT: Do you take credit for the billions of dollars worth of Beanie Babies that were sold in 1998?

LF: In my opinion, The Beanie Baby Handbook helped sell tens of millions of extra toys. Our book was sold to over a million kids in schools by Scholastic. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

December 16, 2005
Twins bring smiles to local children's faces
Right after receiving a wolf Beanie Baby, 4-year-old Isaac Anastaoff named the toy Annanook.

“It's not a wolf,” Anastaoff said, after looking up with his big brown eyes. “It's an annanook.”

All of the children attending the Porterville College Child Development Center received a Beanie Baby from 23-year-old identical fraternal twins Tara and Kara Polhamus of Porterville.

According to Tara, the sisters decided last year that they had collected so many of the Beanie Babies - sometimes three or four of the same one - that they decided to give them to the children attending the center. But the pair also keep one for themselves.

“Children like to hold them in their hands, throw them in the air because they're small enough,” Tara said.

This could be seen Wednesday morning as the Polhamus twins - who each wore a holiday sweatshirt that had three cats with Santa hats on them, and an elf's hat - handed out the stuffed animals to the three different classrooms in the center. Once inside Vickie Burcham's room, the Polhamus twins were invited to sit and the children were instructed to tell the twins what they wanted for Christmas before being presented with a Beanie Baby.

Kaya Peterson, 4, was first and she told the twins she wanted a pony.

“You know what? I think I have a unicorn for you instead,” Tara said.

She reached into a bag and pulled out a white unicorn - and Peterson smiled. The next few children in line, instead of telling the twins what they wanted for Christmas, told them what kind of Beanie Baby they wanted.

Peterson was happy with the toy and rubbed the underside of it.

“I like it,” she said. “I only have a big, big unicorn at home.”

Burcham, supervisor of the center, said the children who attend the center are 2, 3 and 4 years old and are the children of PC students as well as working parents.

But the giving doesn't stop with the Beanie Babies with Tara and Kara.

Tara said the pair also saved up their spare change and purchased gifts, and also gave coloring books, crayons and candy to 23 children who had their names, ages and what they wanted for Christmas on a paper ornament which hung on a Christmas tree inside of the administration building at PC. VIEW FULL ARTICLE & PHOTO HERE

ASK TY
Q: Did you ever sew a Beanie together? (submitted by 8888613)
A: I have done my fair share of sewing . . . . . . and combing, brushing, painting, trimming, bean filling and eye attaching ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home

Christmas Food Basket, Toy Drive programs in full swing on post
FORT POLK — Fort Polk’s annual Christmas Food Basket Program and the Christmas Toy Drive were in full swing this Thursday, preparing boxes and stuffing stockings for those less fortunate this holiday season.

Many volunteers, including soldiers and members of the Officers’ Spouses Club (OSC), helped unpack and sort food and toys Thursday at the old Sabine State Bank on Fort Polk. Over $20,000 worth of toys were collected this year, with a large donation of Hess toy fire trucks from the United States Marine Corps Toys for Tots program.

According to Command Chaplain (Col.) Jack Van Dyken, Fort Polk sent two large trucks to Lake Charles and returned with 15 palates of toys from the Marine Corps, which made a huge effort this year to help Beauregard and Vernon Parishes.

Toy collection boxes were also placed around post and were filled to the brim with toys almost every day. The toy drive will serve over 1,000 children this year, all who are members of military families having difficulty making ends meet this holiday season. Several of the families enrolled in the program have six or more children, said Van Dyken.

The chaplain also noted that during a recent trip to England Air Park in Alexandria for a program for senior citizens, the toy drive received a $1,200 donation from the group of seniors. One elderly lady in particular had been collecting beanie babies for 20 years, and when she heard of the toy drive, she told Van Dyken, “Now I know why I’ve been collecting them.” The following day, four boxes stuffed with beanie babies were delivered to the toy drive site. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

December 15, 2005
HOLIDAY ANGELINE
Thank you to Laura for sharing the following: "Dear Lisa, I was just sent this by ty-(I am sure everyone will also recive theirs) it is cute as you go to the website it tells Angeline's story by flipping through the pages!" Here's the link to the picture shared in the email: http://www.ty.com/images/Angeline_email.jpg

I wonder if Laura would like an X-Box?
My favorite books growing up were the Little House on the Prairie series, featuring the adventures of Laura Ingalls and her pioneer family. In one book, she described a particularly memorable Christmas where she received a penny. On another Christmas, she was supposed to get some candy, but Pa got trapped in a snow storm and had to eat it, or something like that.

Either way, Laura's Christmas would be less than slim by today's standards. I don't know a single child who would say "Oh boy! A penny" today, unless the penny was taped onto an X-Box 360. That X-Box, plus the penny, will set you back about $850.01 on Ebay right now, by the way.

The cost of Christmas has gone up each year and there doesn't seem to be a limit in sight. The average parent spends way more than the Three Wisemen did on their presents and they brought gold to the party for Heaven's sake. If you doubt this assertion, all you have to do is look back at a list of the most popular toys from the last century as compiled recently by Forbes magazine. They examined the most popular toys dating back to 1900 all the way through today.

And then things changed. You can blame it all on Cabbage Patch Kids. Those squatty dolls became popular in the 1980s and formerly sane parents were suddenly willing to pay any sum so their child could "adopt" a Cabbage Patch Doll. Things got even crazier in the 1990s, when Beanie Babies became a hit. It wasn't too out of the ordinary to pay $100 for Tobasco the Bull or whatever were the supposedly "hot" Beanie Babies. Those weren't toys, after all, they were an investment.

And what about now? So far, this decade's hot toy has been the razor scooter. An electric one of those will set you back about $300, which is a long way from a penny and some hard candy. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Soft Spots
Community, including a girl with a bag of Beanie Babies, gathers up stuffed toy donations in memory of Dan Harada
Filing cabinets turned into a toy chest at Hood River County School District offices last week.

A stuffy stampede — bears, dogs, penguins, unicorns, bats, bluebirds and many more — filled the top of the cabinet in superintendent Pat Evenson-Brady’s office.

Hood River Christmas Project and Trauma Intervention Program will share the toy trove, donated in the memory of Dan Harada, who worked as district food services coordinator for four years. Harada died Nov. 28 at age 51 after a brief battle with liver cancer.

“Dan’s impact reached far beyond the schools and this community,” Evenson-Brady said.

Harada loved stuffed toys, especially animals, so the District Office staff has been accepting toys and cash donations to purchase toys for the Hood River County Christmas Project and for the TIP volunteers.

Harada was a dedicated TIP volunteer for the Columbia Gorge Chapter as well as in Portland and Vancouver.

“He always made himself available for most any type of crisis call,” said TIP coordinator Gloria Needham. “His enthusiasm was contagious. Dan was also involved in many other types of volunteer programs. The spirit of giving seemed to run through his veins.

“I am not surprised that even in his passing he has found a way to give back to the community,” Needham said. “His physical presence will be missed but his spirit of giving will forever remain with our TIP team.”

Michelle Westfall echoed Needham’s thoughts.

“It shows how someone’s greatness can go on,” said Westfall, co-coordinator of the Hood River Christmas Project.

“These toy donations are a huge help for us,” Westfall said. She helped Evenson-Brady and May Street principal Dan Patton unwrap 30 or so Beanie Baby toys donated by fourth-grader Madison Bubb. VIEW FULL ARTICLE & PHOTO HERE

SIMPLE BOOKEEPING
Maida writes: "Hi Lisa, I've just started a new ebay auction for the Simple Bookkeeping for Beanbag Collectors computer software with $2.00 shipping.  The data is current as of November 30, 2005 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7205324361 Any help is greatly appreciated."

December 14, 2005
NEWS IS SLOW...
News has been slow for the last several days. If you have anything to share please email me at Lisa@planetbeans.com. We all love to see your holiday decorations with Ty items. I will be sharing pictures of my tree and our Christmas lights in the next several days. Enjoy the holiday season and all of the love and friendship it brings. Remember to think of those less fortunate and help out when you are able.

CHERISH UPDATES
http://www.planetbeans.com/SuesCharityAuctions.htm

INTRODUCING CHITRAKA (Ty Store WWF)
http://www.ty.com/Chitraka_intro

December 13, 2005
LACK OF NEWS
I've done my usual searches and have come up empty for Beanie news. I will update you on any news as it becomes available. As always.. if you have anything to share please email me at Lisa@planetbeans.com. 

December 12, 2005
BEANIES AT WALGREENS
Laura writes: "Dear Lisa, I was just going through the Sunday paper here in Michigan and the Wallgreens paper has Ty Beanies 2/$10.00!!  Wow they are going to sell them there now!!  Take care, Laura"

BEANIES AT 50% OFF
I was at the mall yesterday and found all holiday Beanies were on sale for 50% off at Claire's Club. They had all the Beanies and Jingle Beanies. I ended up purchasing all the Mr. Frost Jingle Beanies they had left. That is the cutest of the Jingle Beanies IMHO. Jennifer is giving some to her friends for Christmas!

December 11, 2005
Stuffing their stockings
PEORIA - Nine-year-old Shantel Williams of Peoria stood Saturday in the hallway of Manual High School with a smile on her face and a red backpack full of Christmas toys.

"I like coloring, so I am going to use the crayons I got to color a pretty picture," Williams said as she looked at the toys in her backpack.

Williams was one of the 1,300 needy children who received a backpack full of toys at the Journal Star's 84th annual Red Stocking Party at the high school.

More than 1,000 backpacks were filled with 7,000 toys, including puzzles, beanie babies, coloring books and card sets. The toys were distributed at the party to less-fortunate children ages 3 to 11 in Peoria. Another party was held Saturday afternoon at Parkview School in Creve Coeur to distribute toys to children in Tazewell, Woodford and Fulton counties. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Pack rats have more to give at holidays
Of all the traits my husband brought to our gene pool, one of the strongest is the "pack rat" gene. All four children got it.
    I didn't realize it would carry so readily from one generation to the next. Yet it turns out that the propensity to display the plastic bowling trophies you earned as a child in the 1960s recurs and is evident in your offspring, who cling to their old Beanie Babies as if to a life preserver.
    There's probably some biological term for this trait ("pack rattedness"?). Also, it probably reflects some deep-seated psychological manifestation, such as the irrational fear of letting go of broken watches or pilled sweaters. Whatever its roots, the inability to look at a dilapidated board game and see it as anything but refuse is most certainly a function of heredity. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Lessons from Dave Barry
I recently received an email containing "16 Things That It Took Me Over 50 Years to Learn" by Dave Barry. One of the things was "There is a fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness." I can relate.

A few years ago I picked up the "hobby" of collecting Ty beanie babies. I started collecting not long before the craze died down, which meant a couple of months later the ones I had purchased for $7 could be found at flea markets for $1.

I had already bought and received around 50 before I realized some very important facts. There were different editions -- the tags appeared different. Some were "retired" and some weren't. Some worth more than others. It was too much to keep up with considering my one track mind.

Now they are sealed in plastic bags waiting to be passed down to my daughter. What she will do with them, I don't know. But, they are irresistibly cute! VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

December 10, 2005
Gifts That Give Back
A popular shopping trend helps the American Red Cross continue to deliver what’s most important this holiday season – hope
As communities continue to recover from some of the worst natural disasters in history, more Americans are seeking ways to help others with their holiday dollars this season. The 2005 Cone Holiday Trend Tracker reports that more than half of Americans intend on buying a holiday gift associated with a cause and/or will buy from a retailer that supports a cause.

Recognizing this desire to support charities through purchasing dollars, the American Red Cross has proudly partnered with some of the nation’s most well-known companies to provide consumers with the opportunity to purchase popular holiday gifts while helping those in need. Sales of these products result in donations ranging from 25 cents to $15 each – which will help the Red Cross continue to provide lifesaving aid to thousands of people in the Gulf region and around the world. To view the complete list of items offered by corporate partners to benefit the Red Cross, please visit: www.redcross.org/sponsors/howtohelp/dollars.html.

A sampling of some popular gift ideas available this year benefiting the Red Cross, include:

Ty – Special Edition Beanie Babies – In support of American Red Cross hurricane relief, Ty has designed three Beanie Babies, representing the states of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. $2 from each item sold online and $1 from each item sold at retail will be donated to the American Red Cross. Available at a Ty retailer near you or at www.ty.com. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

December 9, 2005
ASK TY
Q: Tea or coffee? (submitted by GCLmom)
A: I'm not much of a coffee drinker. I prefer tea with a little Sweet'N Low or honey ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home

NEW BEANIES ARRIVE AT HALLMARK
Linda writes: "Hi Lisa, I work at Hallmark and guess what came in today? VALENTINE beanies and those weird new ones! Thought you'd like to know. Garfield in his pj's holding Pooky is absolutely adorable!! Linda"

A teddy bear toss will be held Saturday night between the second and third periods when the University of Alaska Fairbanks Nanooks hockey team faces off with the Michigan State University Spartans at the Carlson Center. The toss is being sponsored by the UAF Student Athlete Advisory Committee.

Committee members will also be on hand Friday and Saturday, collecting toys for children at the Glacier Classic at the Patty Gymnasium on the UAF campus, a men's basketball shootout that rotates each year between Fairbanks and Anchorage.

All the stuffed animals and toys collected at each event will be donated to Santa's Clearing House, said Patrick Lee, assistant athletic director, marketing and promotions at UAF.

"It's fun seeing all those teddy bears come flying out of the stands," Lee said.

Two years ago, the student athletes gathered a wildly diverse collection of several hundred new or almost new stuffed animals and dolls off the ice. Not bad, considering the teddy bear toss is a 30-second event.

"We got a myriad selection of plush animals and a lot of Beanie Babies, to 3-foot frogs and giraffes," said April Blanchard, a member of the committee. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Curing the uncool room blues
You know the look: White walls with a patchwork of posters. Maybe there’s a bulletin board littered with school papers. A Mickey Mouse rug is on the floor or carpet, but of course, you can’t see it, because of all the clothes scattered about.

Yep, kids’ rooms can have you tearing your hair out, not to mention that the endless whining about their less-than-hip space is driving you nuts. “But Mom, there’s nothing cool about my room. You should see Megan’s. She has this sweet-looking ....”

There is a cure for a kid’s room blues: Redecorate.

It’s not as daunting a task as it might seem.

Of course, your kids still will scatter their clothes across the floor, and they’ll still put up signs to keep their brother or sister out, but decorating a room to suit a child just might get him or her to use it for more than a place to store their junk. They might even end up liking it.

Enlisting help from the Rugrats, Scooby-Doo and the Teletubbies to spruce up a child’s digs is fine, but don’t expect it to last. Trends come and go faster than you can change Junior’s diapers. Instead, choose classic themes that can take your child from the cradle to college.

My son, D.J., is a car nut. It’s Jeff Gordon this, Jeff Gordon that. And of course, there’s Hot Wheels, Thomas the Tank Engine and jets.

So when I asked him how he wanted his room decorated, all I heard was, “Cars, trains and planes, Mom.“

No big surprise there. Which is the point. It’s his room, so why not dress it to reflect his personality, his favorite things, his interests?

Chenille pillows in the shape of stars and the moon are hanging from the ceiling in Nicole’s room to give it a celestial, storybook quality. Her first stuffed toys are scattered about to add warmth and a childlike innocence to the room.

If your little ones collect Beanie Babies, use them to liven the room with color instead of piling them in the closet to gather dust. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

THE 2005 CHERISH CHRISTMAS DRAW
There is a mystery box of goodies for the winner
(this will include Ty and Boyds products and handmade items) Please click here for details

PATRICK CLAUS IS SOLD OUT
http://www.ty.com/Patrick_Claus_SoldOut

December 8, 2005
LACK OF NEWS
I've done my usual searches and have come up empty for Beanie news. Expect the official announcement of the new December releases early this week. I will update you on any news as it becomes available.

December 7, 2005
Newest trend among hoteliers: Renovate, renovate, renovate (Santa Barbara News-Press, Calif.)
Dec. 3--While the South Coast has been in the grips of a residential remodeling frenzy for several years, the fervor to expand, refresh and restyle has also spread to many properties that serve as a home away from home for visitors -- hotels and resorts.

Most of the work at the hotels has been largely shielded from public view, thanks to careful camouflaging. But some changes, such as the closure of favorite restaurants, have been hard to ignore.

Here is a recap of five of the most prominent hotel renovation projects currently under way.

El Encanto Hotel and Garden Villas

Total renovation cost: About $15 million Construction began: September 2005 Expected completion: 2007

The Orient Express Hotel Company purchased the El Encanto in November 2004 for $26 million and committed to following the master renovation plan that its former owner, the late Eric Friden, spent three years crafting.

The plan calls for a revamping of the entire property, including the rehabilitation of the main building, restaurant, lounge and all 84 guest cottages and villas. Plans also call for reconfiguring the pool so that it is perpendicular to El Encanto's unmatched ocean view.

Orient Express said it will keep the resort's historic character and even rebuild other structures to match the original architecture. It expects to build a spa and fitness center under the main building, revamp the restaurant and lounge and rehabilitate all of the cottages and villas.

Because of the challenges of renovating the original main building, Orient Express has postponed the closure of the property. The plan originally called for the hotel to close after the summer season 2005. But the closure has been pushed back to fall 2006, with the entire property shuttered for about 10 months. These plans, however, are still under review and are likely to shift again, said Clive O'Donoghue, general manager of the hotel.

In the meantime, renovation started last September on four buildings. The first phase will include 21 rooms going out of service, and they will return as 15 rooms with larger bathrooms.

Fess Parker's Doubletree Resort

Total renovation cost: About $14 million Construction began: July 2004 Expected completion date: April 2006

The Doubletree is entering the last phase of a property-wide renovation that began last year. In the first phase, completed in September 2004, the resort remodeled all of its meeting space, which totals about 30,000 square feet. This included replacing carpets, wall coverings, doors, chandeliers and other lighting systems.

Phase two of the work entailed the overhaul of the resort's primary restaurant, Cafe Los Arcos, and the bar. Both of these areas were closed for 12 weeks last spring and reopened in time for the Fourth of July. New carpets, walls and booths were installed in the restaurant, which holds 128 diners.

The bar area -- which used to have a sunken, octagonal configuration -- was completely demolished and redesigned. Seating was decreased from 74 seats to 60 to create space for a private boardroom in the area, said Tim Bridwell, general manager of the Doubletree. The exterior patio of the bar now has new furniture, landscaping, a fireplace and a fountain. Furniture and carpet in the lobby were also replaced during phase two.

Last October, the Doubletree began its final remodeling phase to refresh all 360 guest rooms and the adjoining corridors. Along with new furniture, all draperies will be replaced with wood shutters.

Four Seasons Biltmore Resort

Total renovation cost: $160 million Construction began: 2000 Expected completion: April 2006 When billionaire Beanie Babies creator Ty Warner purchased the Biltmore in 2000, he announced his intentions to faithfully restore the landmark to its glorious 1927 Spanish Colonial roots, plus add all the conveniences of the 21st century. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Insurance must cover Beanie Baby fire set by husband, court rules
The Iowa Court of Appeals on today said a woman’s home insurance coverage should not be invalidated because her angry husband set fire to her Beanie Babies collection and nearly burned down their home.

The appeals court’s decision upholds a lower court ruling, and supports a decision by the Iowa Supreme Court, which ruled against Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company. The company denied Ramona Sager’s claim because of an ‘‘intentional loss’’ exclusion in her policy.

Sager sought to collect on her homeowner’s policy after her husband, upset that she was leaving him, set fire to her Beanie Babies in the basement of their DeWitt home in March 2000. The fire spread, causing $100,000 in damage, court records show. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

December 6, 2005
ANOTHER NEW TY TRADEMARK
Sly shares with Ms. Janie: "20 years of fun" 
As the goods and services Ty listed.. Plush toys; Soft sculpture plush toys; Soft sculpture toys; Stuffed toy animals; Stuffed toy bears; Stuffed toys.

Endurance racing
Ashlee Van Raalte of Scales Mound isn't exactly sure when she first fell in love with horses, but she thinks she had to have been around 3-years-old.

When she was 10, she wanted a horse of her own so badly that she had her mother sell all of her Beanie Babies collection. It was then that her parents, Stewart and Julie Van Raalte, and her trainers knew she was serious about riding horses.

“I have loved horses for as long I can remember,” Van Raalte said. “It makes me feel good to ride. I just had to have my own horse when I was young and it was my choice to sell my Beanie Babies.”

The 18-year-old, who attends Highland Community College in Freeport as a full-time student, is getting ready for an international horse race in Bahrain on Dec. 17. Van Raalte will be the only rider from the United States competing for the title at the 2005 Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) World Endurance Championships for Juniors and Young Riders. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

A Corrupt Holiday?
Why do people exchange gifts on Christmas? If you go back far enough, you’d probably find the answer to be “in celebration,” but as an act of selflessness, not necessity. No one back then would have expected to receive gifts, but it would be expected to give gifts - a way of giving back for all that’s been received. But this is no longer the case. In fact, the opposite is true for many. Nowadays, most give gifts because others expect it, and those giving gifts expect to receive gifts in return. How did it end up this way?

Some think that our feeling of needing to exchange gifts can be primarily attributed to our consumer market. After all, it’s rare to make it past Columbus Day without seeing a commercial advertising the newest gadget that “makes a great gift!” or a big Christmas sale that “starts next week.” From a financial standpoint, it makes sense; why should stores wait until after Thanksgiving to start draining us of our money when they can do it just as effectively before? Morally speaking, though, there’s no way to describe it except as wrong.

When it comes to Christmas, it’s amazing the power the retail industry has over the consumer. It’s not a complicated process, really. First there are the commercials that advertise the newest products and the huge sales, then they shift into the “It’s-not-too-late-to-buy-something-for-someone-you-love” before resorting to outright guilting consumers into buying something for that aunt in Pennsylvania. With these tactics, it’s not hard for them to get most of us into the stores.

Once there, the store has control over a person’s spending since by then the shopper is desperate, so the store can pretty much set the price. For example, my mom worked at a toy store during the Beanie Baby craze a few years back. It was this store’s practice to sell Beanie Babies until a month before Christmas, then take them off the shelves and claim they were sold out, avoiding the need to sell them at the sale price. But, if they happened to get some poor soul who, in a Christmas rush, would come in begging and pleading, offering to pay twice or even triple the price if they could just find this one Beanie Baby, the sales help would say that maybe they could find one in the back. Another sale in the name of Christmas. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

ASIA-PACIFIC CHECKLIST
http://www.planetbeans.com/Asia-PacificChecklist.htm (the link has been added to the BEANIE INFO PAGES)

FLOWER BEARS INFO PAGE
http://www.planetbeans.com/FlowerBears.htm (the link has been added to the BEANIE INFO PAGES)

FLOWER BEARS CHECKLIST
http://www.planetbeans.com/FlowerBearsChecklist.htm

December 5, 2005
ASK TY
Q: What do you want for Christmas? (submitted by 9189405)
A: I'm still looking for a royal blue Peanut ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home

December 4, 2005
WARNING FOR COLLECTORS
Karen shares the following: 
"Hi All
Please alert people that the popular scam at the moment is to steal people's photo's, so you bid on an auction but the seller doesn't have it. 
eBay: AUTHENTICATED BILLIONAIRE 8 BEAR TY BEANIE BABY MWMT MQ (item 6014147273 end time Jan-14-06 21:15:35 PST)
legit auction

Of course, you don't always know that they're stolen photo's, because eBay has the photo hosting now - you used to be able to look at 'properties' and see whose photo it was - but a possible safeguard is to ask for more photo's from the seller.  Ask for a side view, or a view that someone wouldn't have used in an auction.  Always check feedback too. Love: Karen"

SUE'S CHERISH UPDATES
http://www.planetbeans.com/SuesCharityAuctions.htm

December 3, 2005
DECEMBER WALLPAPER
The wallpaper for December has finally been posted on Ty.com: http://www.ty.com/Dec05_Wallpaper

Companies Join Hands with FC Dallas and Dallas Stars to Lift Up Those in Need
DALLAS, Texas, Nov. 30, 2005 - Those less fortunate in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex will receive gifts of food and hope this holiday season thanks to the generosity of several major corporations, FC Dallas and the Dallas Stars.

Organized by FC Dallas, the Dallas Stars and Minyard Food Stores with Lift Up America, a donation event distributing free products from Tyson Foods and Ty will be held Dec. 5 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at American Airlines Center. Players from FC Dallas and the Dallas Stars will be on hand to assist with distributing 16,000 pounds of chicken to representatives from the North Texas Food Bank and eight other area agencies while another 16,000 pounds of chicken will be given to the Tarrant Area Food Bank in Fort Worth.

This year, the team consists of Tyson Foods, Ty and other major corporations. Tyson is bringing food donations (a total of 2.24 million meals) to many cities across America in the fight against hunger "Powered by Tyson?". Ty is providing over 300,000 new Beanie Babies? to comfort and bring hope to every child of each family. In addition to MLS, NHL, NFL and NBA teams, numerous college teams have joined the effort.

"We are thrilled about the partnership between these great organizations," said Dave Hannah, CEO of Lift Up America. "It is truly inspirational to see so many entities coming together with such noble goals in mind." VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

BOISE STATE STUDENT-ATHLETES INVOLVED IN TREASURE VALLEY “LIFT UP AMERICA” CAMPAIGN
BOISE, Idaho—The national Lift Up America campaign makes a stop at Boise State University next Tuesday, December. 6th, as Bronco student-athletes will be helping make the Holiday season a little brighter and better for thousands of Treasure Valley families.
                
The Boise State Department of Athletics in conjunction with numerous other Ada and Canyon County organizations will be joining in a nation wide effort to provide compassion for the less fortunate. Nearly 100 Bronco student-athletes will be called upon to help distribute mass amounts of food and toys that will be utilized throughout Southwestern Idaho by numerous agencies helping those who need it the most.

The event will take place on Tuesday, December 6th when 35,000 pounds of Tyson Chicken product and 12,000 Ty Teddy Bears and Beanie Babies will be delivered to Bronco Stadium for distribution throughout the Treasure Valley. From 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., the Bronco student-athletes will be in action, loading and unloading the product into agency vehicles, vans and trucks. This event will take place in the east side parking lot of Bronco Stadium adjacent to Broadway Avenue. From there, the product will be used in preparing community meals and delivering meal boxes and gifts to families in need. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Christmas Is Taken Very Seriously In Snow Hill
When Tammy Simpson first organized the Christmas in Snow Hill Celebration, she wanted something that would appeal to people of all ages.

"We felt like we were a very close community, very family oriented, we needed some events that families could come to."

And Thursday December 1st, the events got underway, beginning with the Town Tree Lighting Ceremony, where members gathered to decorate the tree and enjoy a Christmas sing-a-long.

The event has grown significantly in the past three years when there were just six people in attendance. This year, each bow on the tree represents a member of the community.

Inside the Center For The Arts, activities were happening as well, including a preview of the All About Trees charity auction, featuring 32 items this year, ranging from palm trees to Christmas trees decorated with the theme of snowmen or beanie babies.

"Everybody gets involved, everyone loves what they're doing and we're raising money for the community and community events." VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

December 2, 2005
Hometown Christmas Gifts
Johnstown -- Channel 6 News found a number of hometown gifts you can buy someone for Christmas. Of course, Penn State memorabilia is popular but we looked even further.

Well known, not only to our area, but also to the country, is Punxsutawney Phil. In his area you can buy shirts, even bears and beanie babies that look like him. There are also Phil slippers to keep you warm if he says 6 more weeks of winter. For your student there are scrapbook supplies out there. The ones we found are in Huntingdon County at Grove's. In Johnstown, the Explore-a-Story Center stays busy sending gifts to Arizona and Florida. Their items are one of a kind and feature a number of artists. The Visitor's Center in Bedford County can give you Pennsylvania sweaters, mugs, copies of covered bridge artwork and a lot more. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Residents Bring A Little Joy To East Texas
05/25/2009 OCEAN CITY – Remember Hurricane Rita? No, not the one from New Orleans – the other one that roared into the south in September.

The people in Fred, Texas and Jasper, Texas do. Many families lost their homes, while others are still living six people in one room. Others count themselves lucky to have lost just a roof to the winds, or their flooring to flooding.

Bishopville resident Chris Ellis hasn't forgotten those communities.
Ellis, a Red Cross volunteer in the area after Hurricane Rita, spread the word among neighbors and friends – help is still needed. Thus was born “The Where Fun Begins Tour.” 

The original concept, a Thanksgiving celebration with toys for the children of the small community of Fred, sprouted branches, which flowered into donations as word wound its way through the community – bedding, clothing, dishes, school supplies, and money came in. Toy vendors offered kites, stuffed animals, games, and yo-yo's for the children, and funny hats for everyone.

Three of us set off from Bishopville for Fred, Texas 10 days before Thanksgiving. Make that four – the rig, a pick-up truck and 26-foot horse trailer combo, has a personality all her own – tough, capable, and beautiful in her own way. We determined that her name was Lilah.

Lilah began to take on a life of her own, gathering a human back story as we traveled through the southern mountains like a minor legend in days gone by: Lilah has a buzz cut and wears men’s shirts and cowboy boots that have seen better days. She drinks Wild Turkey or cheap beer and gets into futile bar fights with her work buddies from the mechanic’s shop. She cries into her cheap beer whenever Johnny Cash comes on the jukebox. Her girlfriends never stay with her for long, but they always remain friendly.

And she’ll stay with you all the way, up and down and up again in the mountains, through rain and tornado scares and bad roads in Mississippi, until you pull into east Texas, facing an electric sunset and a town you’ve never met.

The rest of us cannot help but come across as a little more ordinary: Sarah Park, a horse trainer from the Harrisburg, Pa. area; her sister, Mary Ochse, owner with husband Bill and their partners of Ocean City’s Kite Loft; and me, a journalist.

None of us had any idea of what we would find at our destination. Not a one had ever been there or done more than speak to our contact, Fred Elementary School Nurse Pam Hutto, on the phone. I think I can safely say that none of the three of us knew much more about the aftermath of Hurricane Rita than we had seen in the national news media.

To our amazement, the room began to come together from the boxes and bags – bedding and towels piled high on one side; clothing folded and stacked in categories against the other wall; toys laid out for little hands to choose from. Donated candy filled several large baskets, with one entirely full of Candy Kitchen saltwater taffy. Large kites hung from the ceiling, promoting a party atmosphere.

The elementary school students all celebrated Thanksgiving with feasts made by their parents – turkey and corn pudding and ham and all manner of good things. Children were brought into the cafeteria by classes, given taffy and chocolate and free raffle tickets, and allowed to choose kites and toys.

It was the most wonderful chaos.  

I vividly remember being thanked by a little pre-school girl who barely whispered in my ear as she clutched a black and orange spider beanie baby.

A pair of older girls earnestly told us, “You don’t know how much we needed this.” VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

"It was such a wonderful experience for my daughter and the other Emilys," said Meiburg. "And Noah's parents called the three Emilys their angels."

But besides bringing joy to many children, the Beanie Babies actually played a part in keeping U.S. soldiers safe. "In July, the Army handed out the Beanie Babies in a small town in his honor," said Meiburg. "The town elders then showed the officers a huge cache of weapons that had been buried in a field outside the town by insurgents. The Army disposed of them and saved many lives because of it." VIEW FULL ARTICLE & PHOTOS HERE

2006 SHIPPING 
Elaine shares the following: 
Thank you for your order from the Ty Store.

This is to confirm shipment of the following order: Ship date - 11/30/2005

Item Detail:
Qty     Description                             
2006 - bear

NEW HALLMARK EXCLUSIVE
Cindy from Cindy's Beans mentions a "NEW HALLMARK EXCLUSIVE ( Sweetie Kins ) The dog" is to be announced today.

December 1, 2005
MISTAKE, I HOPE
Michael writes: "Hi Lisa, Below is a link to an auction which had on it a BBOC original 9 variation of Punchers the lobster. Anyway the auction ended earlier today with a final price of $103.53 plus shipping..... I think someone mistook this BBOC Punchers for the ORIGINAL ORIGINAL Punchers oddity at least I hope. Michael" VIEW AUCTION HERE

<< my comments: What's more shocking is how many bids and people misunderstood the auction when the picture clearly depicts the BBOC version. It's not as if the seller tried to misrepresent the item being sold. >>

Bear drive gets local help
December marks the beginning of a special holiday drive for Bears that Care, an organization that donates teddy bears to needy children around the world.

The program began when Michele Rivera, a New York native and current State College resident, felt she needed to do something to help the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks. After seeing a news story about a similar group, Rivera started Bears that Care.

Since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, Rivera has sent 10,800 bears to children in crisis from the United States and other countries.

In past years, the organization has received between 1,500 and 2,000 bears during the holiday season, significantly more than it receives throughout the rest of the year. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

Good Stuff
One good event

What's the best thing to do during the holidays? Eat more salad. Specifically, Greek salad. It's healthy and, even better, it helps a good cause. For the second year in a row, Detroit's Largest Greek Salad will be served from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday at Temple Beth El, 7400 Telegraph Road in Bloomfield Hills. Sponsored by Leo's Coney Island and the Bice family, the event helps support the Children's Hospital of Michigan I.V. Team. The funds will be used to purchase new Beanie Babies for children requiring an I.V. For $5, you'll receive a bowl of salad and a drink and make the I.V. experience for a child a little less painful. Tickets can be purchased at any Leo's Coney Island, Temple Beth El or by contacting the Bice family at (248) 851-4203. Tickets are also available at the door. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

INTRODUCING LEONARD (UK EXCLUSIVE)
http://www.ty.com/Leonard_Intro

ADDED TO DECEMBER INTRODUCTIONS
http://www.ty.com/DEC5_BB7
2006 Zodiac Dog (Asia-Pacific Exclusive)

DECEMBER 2005 BOTM
Thank you to Linda for alerting me to the late announcement. Still no word on the December wallpaper. I'm sorry for those of you that were really hoping for a bear for the last BOTM for the year. For those bear collectors it's unfortunate that you were given only 2 bears for the entire BOTM year. 
FLICKER THE MOUSE http://www.ty.com/flicker