Christmas is over. Collectors have packed away their ornaments and the dolls and bears they've (hopefully!) received for Christmas. Dealers have finished the flurry of the Christmas Shopping season, and their shops (hopefully!) look barren, empty and picked-over. Doll and bear collectors and dealers alike feel a sort-of malaise.

The GOOD news is that there is a cure for post-holiday collecting malaise. The cure is the yearly IDEX doll and bear trade show. The IDEX show is the FIRST look at all the new limited edition and one-of-a-kind dolls, bears and plush.

For the first day and the morning of the second day of IDEX (Friday and Saturday morning) Dealers attend IDEX and commence writing their wholesale orders for the year. Starting Saturday afternoon, the doors are also open to collectors! Collectors can attend special collector events and lectures, and also see first-hand all the new dolls and bears for the new year. AND...highly anticipated DOTY and TOBY Award Nominees are announced on Saturday.

If you've never been at a trade show, you might be wondering what IDEX is like. Its busy, thrilling, frustrating (because there's so much to look at, you'll want to be in 20 places at once) full of camaraderie, beauty and fun! So, lets take an in-depth look at a day at IDEX. For our "Day at IDEX," we'll look at Saturday, a day when both dealers and collectors can attend this year.

A Day At IDEX

Saturday morning at IDEX is very exciting. On Saturday morning, a trade breakfast is hosted by Doll Reader and Teddy Bear and Friends magazine where the DOTY (Doll of the Year) and TOBY (Teddy Bear of the Year) Awards are announced. During the prior two days, judges (retailers and others in the doll industry) have spent hours pouring over all the candidates for the awards. The announcements are eagerly anticipated, and often award winners are present and thrilled to hear they have won! Statues are given out to the award winners after the breakfast and are then placed with any winning dolls that are in the exhibit hall, so that collectors can see many of the award winners at the IDEX show that afternoon. After the award announcement, a keynote address is given--last year, by Marie Osmond, well-known celebrity doll maker and co-owner of the Marian Doll Company (formerly Knickerbocker) and this year by Tim Voss, Presidentof Lee Middleton Original Dolls.

After the breakfast, the exhibit hall opens. Saturday morning is still trade-only time. During the trade-only time, retailers visit doll and bear artists and manufacturers and write many of their wholesale orders for the year. For many retailers who do not attend Toy Fair, this is their main buying event of the season, and often their only chance to see the new dolls and bears in person. In fact, many of the one-of-a-kind and small limited edition dolls and bears shown at IDEX sell out and won't even be available for Toy Fair. Also during the morning (and all day on Friday, as well) free seminars are hosted for retailers and other trade attendees. This year, the Saturday morning trade seminar will be "How To Make The Internet Work For You and Your Business." Friday's seminars include "The Art of Doll Posing," and "How to Host In-Store Events and Start a Club in Your Area." For a full schedule of events and speakers, please visit www.bearexpo.com.

At 2pm, the exhibit hall opens to collectors! When collectors enter the IDEX show for the first time each year, the excitement is palpable! This is the first chance for collectors to see the new dolls and bears offered by their favorite artists and companies. There are many oohs and ahs, and you see collectors with their heads swiveling in multiple directions all at once--they don't know where to look first! Also for the collectors, there are special events held where they can meet doll artists and representatives of their favorite doll companies. Seminars are also given about collecting. At many of the events, special limited edition dolls are given to attendees. Some of the events are free to all IDEX attendees, others require a fee. Don't miss Part II of this article for a full listing of collector events and seminars. Events this year include "Morning Tea with Hildegard," "The Ginny Doll Club Luncheon," "Dolls of the Century," and "The Healing Power of Teddies." Plus, this year two special fundraisers will be held at IDEX. Scroll down to the end of this article for information on the "One Of A Kind Lucille Auction," and the "Good Bears of the World Auction."

The IDEX exhibit hall itself has color, light and art everywhere you look--its a virtual playground for collectors! Large companies set up impressive booths featuring their latest dolls and bears. The dolls and bears are beautifully presented, with perfect lighting, fabrics and accessories complimenting the dolls and bears. There is also an area where individual artists present their dolls--their booths may be smaller, but their presentations are no less beautiful. Everywhere you look, there are new dolls and bears to see and new companies and artists to discover. Many of the artists attend the show, giving collectors a chance to meet them personally. Plus, there is the opportunity to win door prizes and receive free magazines and other doll literature.

Its smart to prepare well for your trip to IDEX. The IDEX day can be long, and you might actually find yourself walking several miles in a day as you go back and forth in the exhibit halls. So, wear comfortable shoes. Its also wise to have a small bag to put catalogs and order information if you are a dealer. If you're a collector, don't forget a pen and paper so you jot down dolls that you are interested in, so you can tell your dealer when you get back home what you would like to pre-order for the year. You don't have to worry about bringing lunch or going out for a lunch, however--a wide selection of food is served right at the Civic Auditorium, where IDEX is held.

Finally, if all that isn't enough, IDEX is held in the heart of San Francisco. In the evening, collectors and dealers can enjoy dinner at some of the finest restaurants in the world, shop at Union Square, sightsee, catch a show or simply stroll around the city.

For the full schedule of IDEX 2002 collector events, and detailed information on how attending IDEX, see Part II. For information on how to register, plus hotel information, trade events and more, don't miss the officialIDEX 2002 web site.

Two Special Fundraisers To Take Place At IDEX 2002

Dolls and bears and the people who love them will all come together to help raise money for the thousands who are tragically effected by the events of September 11, announced IDEX organizers. A one-of-a-kind Lucile doll silent auction will take place during all three days of IDEX. Jill Jackson, author of the best-selling Lucile collectible book series, is organizing the event. The three exquisite dolls, which are being handcrafted by artists, Emily Phelps Garthright, Linda and John Murray and Berdine Creedy are being made especially for this fundraising relief effort. Each doll will be accompanied by a full set of the "Lessons for Lucile" series, with a special gold-foil LOVE stamp and a commemorative writing entitled " A Plea For Peace From The Children Of The World," dated September 11, 2001. In addition to placing bids for these dolls at IDEX, interested buyers may place bids on the world wide web and through regular mail (addresses shall be announced later).

The second annual IDEX Good Bears of the World (GBW) charity auction and raffle gives teddy bear enthusiasts an opportunity to add a special teddy to their collection and support the charity organization that places teddies into the arms of traumatized children and the elderly. Good Bears of the World supplies bears to police, EMS, firefighters and other agencies that deal with children that need a reassuring hug and a special friend. Thousands of teddy bears were given to New York shelters, the Pentagon victims, and Pennsylvania families after the September 11th tragedy, by GBW. All the money raised at the IDEX GBW auction will be used to support the organization and to purchase teddy bears for the now-depleted GBW Bear Bank. Artists from around the world have donated special items, many of which are one-of-a-kind, for this worthy cause.

"A Day At IDEX" took place at IDEX 2002 in San Francisco.

FOR SEMINARS HELD FOR THE TRADE ONLY, FOR REGISTRATION, AND FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE SEE The Official IDEX Site

DON'T MISS PART II OF THIS ARTICLE: IDEX Information, Facts and Events

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