The holiday season is upon us and just in the nick of time, our two new stores are open for business. Come on down and check out our beautiful new locations in Hingham at the Derby Street Shoppes (94 Derby Street) and in Wellesley at Linden Square (200 Linden Street).

Our warehouse has been looking a bit like the North Pole lately, filled to the brim with boxes of toys. We wish we had a few elves of our own, but slowly we're working through the stacks and getting all the great new toys out on our shelves. There are new products arriving every day, so come in early and often.

And remember - now through December 14th, any time you make a purchase of over $75 at any of our stores, you will be entered in a drawing to win back your entire purchase. A winner is selected randomly once a week.

These days, the news is filled with stories about toy recalls and tips about choosing safe toys for kids. It's on our minds, too, both as parents and as business owners. We want you to feel comfortable with the choices you are making, and toys are such an important part of growing up. Kids really look forward to unwrapping new playthings during the holidays.

We've done a lot of homework, grilled our vendors and researched the recalls. We've learned a lot about testing processes and independent inspection agencies. And while we can't make any promises, we feel very comfortable with the products we are offering for sale this holiday, regardless of their country of origin. We also recognize that a lot of people are feeling uneasy and would prefer to find options that are made in the USA or Europe, and we certainly respect that. We have a list of such products available in our stores. Please ask and we will be happy to share it with you.

Once again, we are bringing Santa Claus himself to all three of our stores. Santa was a huge hit last year, and we're excited to have him back again. So bring your kids, their lists and your camera down to Magic Beans to meet the jolly red fellow in person.

We know it's not fun to wait in line with an impatient little companion, so we'll be giving out numbered tickets starting at noon on the day of Santa's visit in each location. Stop by and pick up a ticket for each child, and we'll give you an approximate time window during which you should return to meet Santa. As such, it may not be possible to accommodate walk-ins, but we will do our very best.

In Brookline - Tuesday 12/4 4-6pm
In Wellesley - Wednesday 12/5 4-6pm
In Hingham - Thursday 12/6 4-6pm

Come out tonight, November 29th, for our favorite holiday tradition in Brookline. Most of the local stores will be hosting events, and the whole town will be abuzz with holiday spirit. Come by Magic Beans for an exclusive appearance by Elmo from 6-6:30pm and a concert by Vanessa Trien at 6:30pm. We'll also be having one of our world-famous Golden Egg Hunts with golden eggs hidden throughout Coolidge Corner. Kids under 12 are invited to seek them out and trade them in for a $5 gift certificate at Magic Beans.

For some reason, holidays and food always seem to go hand in hand. Kids love to spend time in the kitchen, and cookies are a perfect activity to do together. Break out the cookie cutters and whip up a batch of sugar cookies or gingerbread men, then roll up your sleeves for some decorating.

Royal icing is perfect for cookies, and it's also pretty easy to make. Never used a piping bag? Don't be intimidated. It's easy and so much fun for kids (and grown ups, too).

Materials:
Disposable pastry bags or 1 gallon ziplock bags
Cake decorating tips (optional)
Rubber Bands
Food Coloring
Paint Brushes (new & unused)
Baked and cooled cookies

Ingredients
3 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
¼ cup pasteurized liquid egg whites
2 tsp fresh lemon juice

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the egg whites and the lemon juice. Add the confectioner's sugar with the mixer on low speed and then beat the icing at high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form.

To decorate your cookies, divide the icing into bowls to tint it with food coloring, if desired. Put some icing into a pastry bag and pipe an outline around your cookies, then give your children the paintbrushes and let them go to town painting the cookies inside the lines you've drawn. For extra fun, have some colored sugars or other candy decorations on hand.

We're talking about our picks for the hottest toys of the season. We're also sharing our thoughts on the media frenzy that's following the toy recalls. Check it out.