A Thanksgiving & Hanukkah Convergence Zone

As 2013 comes to a close, it brings us to the interesting phenomena of the first day of Hanukkah coinciding with Thanksgiving Day. I just want to stop for a minute, ponder within this convergence zone and appreciate this very rare event.

Thanksgiving Day can fall anywhere between November 22-28. About every seven years it falls on November 28 - the latest possible day it can be in November - which is the case this year. As most of us know, Hanukkah moves around from year to year on the Jewish calendar. It's a complicated calculation on a different calendar. As a result, Hanukkah has a wide latitude to fall anywhere from November 28 to December 27 in any given year.

To cut to the chase, the convergence of Thanksgiving Day with the first day of Hanukkah is, indeed, a very rare occurrence. I've read that this coincidence may never occur again or could possibly occur in 70,000 years. By then, I know for sure that I will be long retired from the toy business. Or I could keep returning as a toy store owner.

But until then, I continue to enjoy the ways we play for the holidays. I say "play", because the gift-giving emphasis of the month of December is most certainly focused on children. And children are most definitely focused on toys! But I say "we" because all ages enjoy toys in their many forms. 

Whether you're giving Hanukkah or Christmas gifts, or just prefer to celebrate in a secular way, think about choosing toys for children (or even adults) that educate, develop skill or inspire creativity. Let Fundamentally Toys help you this holiday season!

If you are giving Hanukkah gifts this year, the eight days of Hanukkah are celebrated from November 27 to December 6. Some parents give eight little gifts to their children; others give one big gift on the last day. Gelt (Yiddish for money) is traditionally given. A friend of mine gives chocolate gold coins to friends during Hanukkah as a fun and yummy way to celebrate this Jewish holiday.

St. Nicholas Day (December 6) is a fun little Catholic feast day that's a mini warm-up to Christmas for Christians. St. Nicholas was a fourth-century bishop who was particularly generous to children. My mom gave me and my sister St. Nicholas Day gifts when we were young. It was usually something small and useful, like a box of crayons or colored pencils, but I was always thrilled nonetheless.

After St. Nicholas Day, I would spend the rest of the month either thinking about what I so badly wanted for Christmas or trying to guess where my mom was hiding the presents. Ah! It was agony waiting for the ecstasy of Christmas morning -  only to be mitigated by helping my mom make holiday cookies.

As you head into this late November/early December holiday time of celebration, I hope your Thanksgiving is filled with gratitude and that your Hanukkah feels golden!

Good Times with Dick & Jane!

See Jane go. Run, Dick, run! Familiar words to any of you baby boomers? I clearly remember sitting in groups on little reading chairs in the front of my classroom, each student taking a turn to read from Dick and Jane primers. When my turn came, I aced the words and sped through expertly, eager to show my teacher how well I could read. Some kids stumbled haltingly as they read. I remember feeling impatient. Easy stuff, I thought!

It's only in looking back that I realize how lucky I was that I could read well at a young age. I have empathy now for kids who struggled back then. I remember thinking at the time that they should be able to do better. Slowness or learning disabilities back in my primary years were not addressed, let alone even recognized. Kids who read poorly would just get a low grade and probably felt bad about it. It took a toll.

I saw as the years progressed that poor reading skills for many of my classmates translated into poor performance in other subjects as well. That's because reading is the cornerstone of learning. If you can't read, you can't learn. Period. Everything in life hinges on being able to read and comprehend.

Because I caught on to reading at a very early age, I developed a love of going to the library and bringing home stacks of books to read - especially during the summer months. My lifelong love of books remains. Reading is still heaven to me.

With that childhood slice of heaven in mind, I opened Fundamentally Toys with a strong commitment to stocking a great selection of children's books. It is one of the store's biggest draws for customers. We even created a cozy section with a big comfy chair and quiet space to browse.

During the week of November 11 - 15, 2013, Fundamentally Toys will be celebrating National Young Readers Week. This annual event  was founded in 1989 by Pizza Hut and the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. Many schools and bookstores host events with local celebrities who come and read favorite children's books. These events help kids realize it's cool to read!

Fundamentally Toys will be hosting daily story readings during National Young Readers Week, culminating on Friday, November 15, with a special appearance by Houston Texan left guard Wade Smith. The popular Pro-Bowler has a passion for instilling a love of reading and encouraging youth to make the most of learning.

Smith will be on hand for a reception, reading and fundraiser for The Wade Smith Foundation. The foundation's mission is "to facilitate the growth of today’s youth by providing them with the necessary tools to improve their overall development as young adults."

In support of The Wade Smith Foundation, Fundamentally Toys will donate 25 percent of all book sales during the weekend of November 15 - 17. It's a perfect time to put books on your holiday shopping list and it will be good to know that a portion of your purchase is contributing to a very worthy nonprofit that serves Houston children in an important way.