Will You Find One of the Lucky Eggs?

The Easter egg hunt has officially begun. “Lucky” is the name of our newest Kindle™ and he is responsible for distributing lucky eggs in stores all across the country. You won’t be able to miss him because he’s dressed in a bunny suit and is holding a special Easter egg with a wooden coin inside. Each coin has been stamped with a number on it.

  On March 31st, 24 lucky numbers will be drawn and posted at www.byerschoice.com. If the number on your coin matches one of the numbers drawn, you will win a special holiday bunny Caroler.® If your number was not selected, there may still be another opportunity for you to win. Any unclaimed prizes as of April 15th will go into a second drawing of those remaining numbers that were registered on our website.

  For more detailed information about our hunt as well as the rules and regulations, log on to www.byerschoice.com and click on the Easter bunny. Good luck and happy hunting.

24 lucky contestants will each receive the adorable Byers’ Choice bunny figurine pictured above if their winning numbers are drawn on Easter Day.

“Lavender blue, dilly dilly…”

Listed among the plants grown by the monks in Merton Abbey in 1301, lavender has long been a popular herb in British gardens. Lavender is associated with cleanliness, and ladies of the manor houses used it to freshen their homes by tossing it among linens and mixing it with beeswax to make furniture polish. Queen Victoria was so fond of lavender that she made it a fashionable fragrance among English ladies. Those who could not afford the essence would buy fresh lavender from the street vendors, encouraged by the cries:

Come buy my lavender, sweet maids,
You cannot think it dear,
There must be profit in all trades
Mine comes but once a year.
Just put one bundle to your nose,
What rose can this excel;
Throw it among your finest clothes,
And grateful they will smell.

Our Lavender Lady is dressed in just the right shade of lavender blue with a basket of the herb slung across her shoulder. She holds up a bundle to wave through the air to release its fresh scent, enticing shoppers.

Lady Golfer

Though the Ladies Professional Golf Association was not formed until 1944, the game was popular with women long before that. In fact, it has been documented that Mary, Queen of Scots became an avid golfer in 1567!

Our new Lady Golfer has arrived just in time to accompany her partner to the first tee. Her navy plaid skirt matches his knickers quite nicely, and her brimmed straw hat will keep her well shaded as they finish their round in the afternoon sun.

Colonial Williamsburg Event
June 7 & 8, 2002

No place captures the spirit of liberty as well as Colonial Williamsburg. In the late 18th century, as the debates regarding independence raged in the House of Burgesses, delegates still sought diversions to help take their minds off of the politics of the day. A favorite means of entertainment at that time was a dance. And so we would like to extend an invitation to all of you to join us the weekend of June 7th & 8th in Williamsburg for a colonial ball.

Williamsburg has planned two very special receptions for us on Saturday afternoon, the 8th, filled with the sights and sounds of Jefferson’s Williamsburg. We will be greeted by costumed footmen, as if the Governor were presiding. Balladeers will entertain us as we have the opportunity to dine on local delicacies, such as Virginia ham biscuits, Chesapeake Bay seafood, tea sandwiches and sippets. Afterward, colonial dancers will demonstrate many of the popular dances of the day, and perhaps will entice a guest or two to participate!

To capture the feeling of the weekend, Joyce has designed a pair of colonial figures dressed in their finest to show off at the ball. The man dressed in a burgundy coat with gold trim sporting a walking stick and the woman in green with lots of ribbons, lace and a painted fan are all prepared for an evening of merriment.

The weekend promises to be a great way to relive the history of our country. From the food, entertainment and the opportunity to walk the streets of Washington, Jefferson, and Henry, it should be a terrific event. Please join us for this and other fun activities throughout the weekend.

2002 Williamsburg Family

Our 2002 line of Colonial Carolers® depict some of the best Christmas traditions of Colonial Williamsburg. Daughter is bringing apples to Mother, to help prepare an apple cone centerpiece for the table. Father and Son are working on lighting the cresset, a metal “cup” on a pole that is filled with fatwood and lit as a torch.

Colonial Man and Woman with Flags

Our Colonial Man and Woman with Flags are holding different flags for good reason. As the colonies began to discuss their future relationship with Mother England, they chose to adopt the Grand Union Flag as their symbol. This appealed to both Loyalists, who appreciated the presence of the English flag, and those aspiring independence who were attracted to the thirteen stripes symbolizing colonial unity. It served as the American flag through the first year of the revolution, and thus is perfect for our Colonial Man with Flag to be seen marching down the Duke of Gloucester Street in Williamsburg to the sound of a fife and drum.

According to tradition, a secret committee of the Continental Congress, which included George Washington and George Ross (uncle to Betsy’s late husband), approached the upholsterer to make the first flag. It was adopted in June 1776 to promote national unity and pride. Washington reputedly said, “Let the thirteen stars in a circle stand for a new constellation in the heavens.” And the new flag was born.

Mother with Bassinet

The joy and beauty of motherhood are captured in our Mother with Bassinet figurine, reminding us of a treasured moment. You can almost hear the sweet lullaby of this young mother as she sings to her sleeping child. 

A perfect gift for a mother-to-be, new mother, or for anyone celebrating Mother’s Day. The baby’s blanket will come in either pink or blue.

Girl with Chicks

 In 1982, Byers’ Choice introduced the first Easter children. Some of you may remember the Easter Girl wearing a white eyelet dress with a straw hat accompanied by a boy wearing blue pants and holding a lamb. In 2001, a similar version of this girl holding a nest filled with chicks was sold in our Emporium at the factory and was very well received.

As fresh as springtime and ready for all of the Easter festivities, this little girl has just found some newly-hatched chicks in the hen house.

What a fun Easter morning!

The Luck of the Irish

Isn’t there a wee bit of Irish in each one of us? For St. Patrick’s Day and all through the year, Hops and Rich are joining Charm to make merry…and of course, a little (O.K., a lot!) of mischief.

Hops is always the first Kindle™ to raise a pint of his favorite stout in order to make a toast to life, love and his beloved Emerald Isle while only Rich holds the secret to finding what lies at the end of every rainbow.