11/07/2024
A few weeks ago, I opened my mailbox to find a surprise waiting inside. Among the bills and assorted junk mail was a holiday toy catalog. A mix of emotions stirred up inside me.
The first was hesitation and concern. To my knowledge, I had never bought a toy or game from this retail chain, though I have occasionally perused its toy aisles. (I have a pretty strong sense of self-control; I tend to shop, not buy.) How did the marketing department know that my inner child wanted to be let out and indulged?
Diametrically opposite of that, I felt a strong sense of joy and nostalgia. I recalled my childhood in the 1990s and early 2000s when I would try to be the first to the mailbox and search for the handful of toy catalogs. If one happened to be tucked in that day’s mail, I would eagerly flip through its pages and point out items to my parents as gift ideas. I would get the same thrill with the regular school book sales as I circled chapter books and the occasional picture book to add to my reading list.
As the year draws to a close, it’s time for edplay’s Annual Buyer’s Guide. Think of it as a reference point that you can use throughout the year as you research manufacturing companies and what products are on the market.
Our guide not only has a directory of toy suppliers, but quite a few articles for your entertainment. Get a sneak peak of next year’s ToyFest, learn about Joanne Ioana Slaniceanu’s journey in the specialty toy market, meet Megan Wyatt of California toy shop Wit & Whimsy Toys and more.
I hope it may bring you as much information, if not joy, as a toy catalog.
As for me, I intend to keep that toy catalog on my kitchen table…for strictly “research purposes,” of course.
Happy reading!
You can e-mail Victoria at victoria@fwpi.com.
