"The Polar Express," Chris Van Allsburg's beloved children's book, published by Houghton Mifflin, captures the pure spirit of the holiday season. It is a time of wonder, of enchanting discovery, of boundless fascination. The inspirational tale will become even larger than life with the theatrical release of "The Polar Express." The movie, from Warner Bros. Pictures, stars the Academy Award-winning team of Tom Hanks and director Robert Zemeckis. And now, fans of "The Polar Express" can take home a little bit of the story's magic with exclusive gifts from Hallmark Gold Crown stores. "'The Polar Express' is such a classic Christmas story, it seemed appropriate that Hallmark Gold Crown stores, a traditional holiday destination, serve as 'The Polar Express' headquarters," said Greg Raymond, vice president of license acquisitions at Hallmark. "The one-of-a-kind Hallmark collection truly brings the classic story to life." In the movie, a young boy who wants to believe in Santa, no matter what the doubters say, is given an unexpected train ride to the North Pole. When the train reaches its destination, Santa himself materializes and offers the boy whatever his heart desires. In the end, the boy learns that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe. Fans can feel the excitement of the movie with items from Hallmark's collection, such as an authentic reproduction of the bell Santa gives the boy as the "first gift of Christmas." Also available in the collection are copies of "The Polar Express" book, Keepsake Ornaments, photo frames, gift-wrap, a tea-light holder, stocking holders, greeting cards and partyware. The variety of gifts in the collection will delight even those not so familiar with "The Polar Express" story. "Hallmark has a long history of celebrating warm holiday traditions and these traditions are perfectly in sync with what 'The Polar Express' symbolizes," said Karen McTier, executive vice president of domestic licensing for Warner Bros. Consumer Products. "Now filmgoers can take a bit of the movie magic and enchantment home with them."
