Happy New Year to everyone in – or associated with – the toy community. I hope you all had a marvellous Christmas, that your batteries are well and truly recharged, and you are ready for whatever 2025 might throw at us. Judging by the news of the past couple of days, it looks like we are in for another quiet one….! (And thank goodness the US Toy Association decided to cancel its plans to move the North American Toy Fair from New York to New Orleans…).
We’re embracing the ‘New Year, fresh start’ mantra – yesterday we moved into our new office. Apart from one badly bruised finger (hopefully not broken), we emerged unscathed from the move. I guess that’s the price you pay for having heavy magazines – very much a better class of problem from where I’m standing.
A few minor tech issues need to be ironed out, and it will be interesting to see who claims dominion over the temperature control in the new room– with a Spaniard and a New Yorker amongst our ranks, finding a happy medium is going to be fun. We’ve moved into a Spaces building – some of you will be familiar with the chain from your trips to LA. Although I do find the name mildly ironic, given the size of the car parking slots appears to assume that everyone drives a Fiat 500 or a 1960s Mini.
Moving into any new location brings inevitable teething issues but I’m sure they’ll be sorted out soon enough. At least I am around to iron out any crinkles and not heading to Hong Kong this week, as I used to do. I spotted my first LinkedIn post on New Year’s Day from someone in the departure lounge at Heathrow about to head out. If you’re on your way (or already there), it will be interesting to hear how you think it’s going.
Read the rest here.
