Gymboree Ushers In The Holiday Season By Celebrating The "Best Time to Be a Kid"

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- From sparkly lights to snowball fights, specialty retailer Gymboree, Official Sponsor of Childhood, is spending the season celebrating why the holidays are "the best time to be a kid."  As part of the celebration, Gymboree teamed up with three popular families, including celebrity couple and parents EXTRA host Mario and his wife Courtney Lopez, to share the #BestTimetoBeaKid for their family during the holidays. The first in the three-part video series was unveiled today, featuring the Lopez family. Parents are encouraged to join the celebration by sharing photos of their #BestTimetoBeaKid moments, on Instagram and Twitter or by visiting www.thebesttimetobeakid.com. The family whose photo best embodies the holiday spirit and celebrates the joy of childhood will win a $2,500 Gymboree shopping spree.*

"At Gymboree, we know that kids grow up too fast," Mark Breitbard, CEO of Gymboree said, "which is why the holiday season is such an important time for us to celebrate. Whether you're getting all dressed up to meet Santa or bundling up for a day of sledding in the snow, we pride ourselves on dressing those special moments that let kids be kids. The holidays are truly 'the best time to be a kid' and we hope families share their most memorable family moments with us." 

#BESTTIMETOBEAKID VIDEO SERIES

To kick-off the celebration, Gymboree is partnering with three families to share a holiday tradition at their home that represents the #BestTimetoBeaKid. The families selected the children's outfits in each video from this year's Gymboree holiday collection – spanning playwear to dressy, from bow to toe – that is all available in stores and online in November and December. The three-part series can be seen by visiting www.thebesttimetobeakid.com and gift-givers can look forward to a special offer at the end of each video. Fans can also check out video-themed downloadable recipes, activity sheets, behind-the-scenes photos and key looks by visiting Gymboree on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter.

• Mario & Courtney Lopez: Kicking off the series, the Lopezes share an intimate look inside their home as the family gathers in the kitchen to make the first pumpkin pie of the season for a friend's party later that night. 
• MommyShorts.com: On November 19, Ilana Wiles – best known for starting the popular internet memes "baby mugging" and "baby suiting" – will take viewers along for her family's annual tradition of ice skating and hot chocolate in New York City's Bryant Park.
• MommasGoneCity.com:  On December 1, Jessica Shyba, who has captured hearts everywhere with naptime photos of her son Beau and her dog Theo, will share her family's special tradition of cutting down the Christmas tree and then decorating the tree in matching PJs by the fire.

#BESTTIMETOBEAKID CONTEST

Gymboree is inviting parents to share photos of the moment in their family that is the #BestTimetoBeaKid during the holidays. You can enter by uploading the photo to Instagram or Twitter using the hashtags #BestTimeToBeAKid and #contest, or by submitting the photo directly to www.thebestimetobeakid.com. The winning photo, as determined by a panel of judges at Gymboree, will receive a $2,500 Gymboree gift card. The photos will be evaluated on the following criteria: overall quality (33%), celebrates the joy of childhood (33%), and embodies the holiday season (33%). The contest begins today and runs through December 14, 2014. The winning photo will be posted by December 21, 2014 to www.thebestimetobeakid.com and will be featured through December 31, 2014. Additional photos submitted will make up a special holiday montage video that will also be shared on the site by December 21. To see complete rules, please visit www.thebestimetobeakid.com.

ABOUT GYMBOREE
Gymboree has a nearly 30-year rich heritage in dressing children, newborn to 12 years old. As the Official Sponsor of Childhood, Gymboree offers colorful, head-to-toe clothing and accessory collections – quality clothes that let kids be kids. 

During the holidays, Gymboree offers families and gift givers everything they need to style "the best time to be a kid" at their home. "The Best Time To Be a Kid" campaign, which launched earlier this month, is supported with in-store displays, print, TV and digital advertising.

Gymboree is part of The Gymboree Corporation family which began in 1976 with its Gymboree Play & Music Centers, offering parent-child play programs. Today, along with franchised and company-operated Gymboree Play & Music locations, The Gymboree Corporation operates three specialty retail brands – Gymboree, Crazy 8 and Janie and Jack – offering unique, high-quality products delivered with personalized customer service in more than 1300 stores worldwide and on www.gymboree.com, www.crazy8.com and www.janieandjack.com.

SOURCE Gymboree

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