Holiday 2021

Dear Parents,

Welcome to the 2021 Holiday Seal of Approval report. We hope that you’ll find the reviews of the newest Seal of Approval winners helpful as you plan your holiday season of gift-giving and sharing. Our parent testers have unearthed and shared their views on some truly terrific products, including some in the burgeoning new frontier of Virtual Reality. Don’t forget to check out past winners from the Spring and Fall reports as well as past years. We share all of this with you because it’s what we do and what we love doing, so much so that in this our 32nd year, we decided to put a new coat of paint on our brand and our website. We hope you like it, and we look forward to hearing your thoughts.
This report always marks the end of another year. As we near the end of 2021, we feel the familiar urge to look back at the year that was. Ugh, do we have to? After the brutal year the whole world suffered through in 2020, you’d have to excuse most of us for thinking that 2021 was going to be better. Uh, no. How could that possibly be?
COVID, Inflation, Drought, Insurrection, Climate Catastrophe, Polarization, Fires, Gun Violence, Q-Anon, did we mention COVID? Sigh.
That’s not to say there weren’t bright spots. There were and as usual, they show themselves when we take a moment, pull back from the global or national view of the world, and instead focus on what is most precious, our families. During these challenging times, families grew tighter knit. Sure, sometimes that caused some friction, but overall, we heard from thousands of parents about how the extra time they spent with their kids helped them gain a greater understanding not only about how they tick but also how the dynamics of their family create the foundation of their lives. So enjoy the holidays, and be sure to enjoy the special warmth that the season brings.
All my best,
David Katzner