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www.byerschoice.com 2008 • Edition I

Trip to and Gerald Dickens Highlight Anniversary Celebration Thirty Years? It seems like just yesterday that my mother was making Carolers all over the house and garage. It has been a wonderful thirty years filled with many blessings, so how does one recognize such a milestone? I guess we need to throw a party! Please come join us in Chalfont, PA on September 26-28, 2008 for a special celebration. Our first thought was to have the event in London. Is there a better place to get the feeling of Victorian England and where the characters of can come to life? But since that seemed a little impractical, we decided to bring London to Pennsylvania in the form of Gerald . Gerald is the great-great grandson of Charles Dickens, and he performs a one-man show of A Christmas Carol , taking the part of twenty-six different characters in turn. The performance is unforgettable, as he brings to life all of the meaning of the original story . And what is a party without some games, presents and surprises? Joyce is developing a few new special pieces for the anniversary, and the weekend will be filled with oppor - tunities for fun and games. Overall, we expect to give out $30,000 in various prizes during the weekend. The big prize is a Trip for two to London ! (We just couldn’t leave London out of the party.) One lucky couple will have the opportunity to walk the same streets that served as inspiration both for Dickens’ classic stories and Joyce Byers’ Christmas Carolers. Perhaps you can find a modern day Cry of London while travelling between the and Buckingham Palace! Please see our website for contest details. Once again, we will have the opportunity for you to Design Your Own Traditional Caroler and watch it being dressed right before your eyes. Factory Tours guided by our artisans give a new appreciation to the fine handcraftsmanship that goes into every figure. And why not take a moment and relax at an English Tea between events? We are going to have a wonderful time, and I hope that you will be able to join us. For more information, please check through this newsletter, www.byerschoice.com or call 215-822-6700. We hope that you can join us! Gerald Charles Dickens to perform A Christmas Carol at Byers’ Choice Ltd. ’ Scrooge Joyce s Favorites 2008 Return for the Victorian Santa 3O0vetr thhe pAastn3n0 yiveaers,rJosycae hrasy 2008 designed thousands of different Carolers. We thought that it would be fun to bring back some of Joyce’s favorites in 2008 and offer them to everyone a second time. Each 30th Anniversary piece has a hang tag with a birthday cake on it. If you submit this tag to your retailer or Byers’ Choice Ltd., you will be eligible for a raffle drawing. If submitted by Sept. 15th, you will be eligible for the drawings at our anniversary celebration including the Trip to London . We will also have a drawing for all tags received before Dec. 15th for many of the original favorites, including an Apple Lady .

“In 1983, I was reflecting on the fact Details can be found at that there is a lot more to Christmas “The original Victorian than song and good cheer. We needed www.byerschoice.com. Santa was the first Santa1n9o8t in6 Scrooge to give us some balance. Below are a few of Joyce’s Christmas red. He held many The original figure posed the chal - memories regarding goodies including a cinnamon lenge of hands. Our artisans rose to each figure: stick and a basket of spices, the occasion by sculpting thousands which gave him a lovely fragrance.” of mini clay hands. Because of the amount of breakage, the clay hands were later replaced with mittens.” 1983

Newsboy with Bike 2008 1989

“Our customers like bicycles, so we have 1983 created several versions of a boy with a bike. The first was a Dutch boy with a basket of flowers on the handlebars. The 2008 figure is a newsboy announcing our “Rocking horses were 30th Anniversary just as very popular toys in the he announced our mid 1800’s. When I found 25th Anniversary. this rocking horse I thought, what fun . . . again a new challenge— a figure without a base. Saint Lucia We purchased two gross 2008 of the rocking horses, and I made each one of “She is one of my favorite them, as our artisans Christmas figures. This charming had enough on their plates little girl with long blonde hair, with Scrooge’s hands.” a long white gown and candles on her head brings Christmas breakfast to her family while they are still in bed.” 1996 Boy on Rocking Horse 2008 ~ Everyone is welcome to join us for the celebration! We do have a few offerings with limited availability, and we ask that you make reservations before August 15, 2008 . • Specially designed for the event, figures of Charles Dickens and his wife, Catherine Dickens, as they entertain guests. • Christmas Dinner on Friday night as described in A Christmas Carol, complete with turkey, trimmings and plum pudding. Following dinner, Gerald Dickens will perform. • Gerald Dickens will bring to life his great-great grandfather’s classic A Christmas Carol with performances Saturday at 1pm & 4pm and Sunday at 2pm. • Design your own Traditional Caroler ® by choosing the style of design, face, eye and hair colors and watch it being dressed before your eyes. You can personalize with accessories at an extra charge. Event Pieces: • An English Tea will be served midday Saturday and Sunday. Each Charles Dickens & serving comes complete with scone, tea sandwiches, fruit and dessert. Catherine Dickens To register for any of the above activities please fill out the form below and mail to: 2008 30th Birthday Celebration c/o Byers’ Choice Ltd., PO Box 219, Chalfont, PA 18914-0219

Co mplete an to d mail th day or reg is form w ister onlin ww.byersc e at 30th Birthday Celebration hoice.com September 26th – 28th, 2008 at Byers’ Choice Ltd.

Charles Catherine Friday Christmas Dinner Dickens Performance Design-Your-Own English Garden Tea Total Dickens Dickens w/ Dickens Performance $15 00 ea. Traditional Caroler ® 11am to 3pm 00 00 Event Piece Event Piece Friday; 5:30 p.m. SATURDAY SUNDAY $65 ea. $18 ea. 00 00 00 Attendee Name $60 ea. $60 ea. $80 ea. 1PM 4PM 2PM SAT SUN AM PM SAT SUN ______$______$______$______$______$______$______$______Please note only a limited number of people will be able to participate in each activity. To assure a spot for you and your friends, please respond as soon as possible. Grand Total $ ______(Tax Included) Method of Payment: Check made payable to “Byers’ Choice Ltd.” included or Please mail tickets to: Please charge my credit card: (Check One) K MasterCard K Visa K Discover Name: ______Account #: ______Exp. Date ___/___ Street Address: ______Name on Card: ______City: ______State: ______Zip: ______Billing Address: ______Phone: ______Email: ______Signature (required for credit card payment): ______~ ~ Special Events ~ Friday, September 26th; 5:30 PM • Gather with collectors from around the country for a glass of wine followed by an English Christmas dinner complete with turkey, trimmings and of course plum pudding! After the meal, Gerald Dickens will perform his great-great grandfather’s classic tale, A Christmas Carol. ~ English Tea ~ in the Gardens Saturday, September 27th & Sunday, September 28th 9:00 AM Byers’ Choice is open with plenty of activities and special events: – 5:30 PM • Appearances by Gerald Charles Dickens at various times throughout the day • Ability to redeem special Mr. & Mrs. Charles Dickens Carolers® • Design Your Own Caroler and have it dressed especially for you! • Some of our favorite pieces from prior years will be on sale. • Tours of the factory floor given by Byers’ Choice artisans • A few pieces designed by Joyce and available only at the event will be available for sale. • The Byers family will be available to speak with people and sign pieces. • A variety of Christmas games and contests • Special Drawings for many prizes In addition, reservations are strongly recommended if you are interested in: ~ Have Purchases ~ • Lovely English Garden Tea Signed by Joyce and ~ Design Your Own ~ Saturday & Sunday: Between 11:00 a.m. & 3:00 p.m. Traditional Caroler ® Figurine the Byers Family • A Christmas Carol Performance by Gerald Dickens Come join the Byers family for a Saturday: 1:00 p.m. & 4:00 p.m. ~ Factory Tours ~ Sunday: 2:00 p.m. weekend of fun . . .a great time to meet old friends and to make new ones!

~ Games & Prizes ~ 1991

1990 “The Apple Lady launched the series “The Cries of London.” She was a huge success and has remained the most sought-after figure we have ever made. We sold many more “The original Parson was Apple Ladies than we anticipated and ran out of to be a reverent man, and fabric several times. Consequently, different a great deal of attention stockings—some striped and some not— was given to posing him and different skirts were used.” with his head bent into his Bible. If you have one of these figures, you can see that a portion of the Bible is actually printed inside Apple Lady his mini missal.” 2008

Old Befana 2008 1994 Parson Sandwich Board Man 2008 2008

“Old Befana, the frequently requested well-loved Italian Christmas witch, has returned. Ichabod 2008 Those of you who visit Byers’ Choice at Christmas are lucky if you happen to meet our own beloved Befana, Maria, who—when she isn’t handing out special treats—is hard at work behind the scenes at Byers’ Choice.”

“In 1982, there was little attempt to dress the Carolers in historically-correct costumes. One figure was actually dressed, more or less by accident, all in black with a black stovepipe hat and a long, color - ful scarf. This was about as close as we got to the “Charles Dickens described Sandwich Board true fashions of the mid-1800’s. Betty Steward, a Men as ‘a layer of flesh between two boards.’ New England rep fell in love with him and named 1994 These boards were used to advertise everything him “Ichabod.” From that time on, orders started and anything a 19th century man could want. arriving with requests for Ichabod.” The 2008 Sandwich Board Man is advertising Tom Smith’s Christmas Crackers.” 4355 County Line Road P.O. Box 158, Chalfont, PA 18914 215-822-6700

Patriotic Santa To see all of the new designs for 2008, visit www.byerschoice.com