Jingle bells, jingle bells…Tis’ the season for giving and the USC Annenberg jester holiday jingles project.
Today the USC Annenberg Civic Engagement and The Jester & Pharley Phund transformed the Annenberg halls into the ultimate toyland to share holiday cheer with the beloved book “The Jester Has Lost His Jingle”, friendly dolls and a light up tree decked out with bookmarks.
It’s the 27th anniversary of David Saltzman New York Times best-seller, “The Jester Has Lost His Jingle”. Saltzman wrote the heartfelt book as his senior year project at Yale University before he passed away from Hodgkin’s disease in 1990.
The Pharley Phund embraces Saltzman’s message to bring hope to children coping with illness. Throughout the year they gift thousands of ill children with the jester book and jester doll to uplift their spirits with a jingle and a smile.
Barbara Saltzman, the mother of the author and founder of The Jester & Pharley Phund, who was present at the event, truly believes these pages are special.
Barbara Saltzman: This book has a wonderful vision of optimism and joy and happiness and how it’s always with you no matter what.
The colorful children’s book is filled with laughter and love. After the jester loses his special jingle and is banned from the castle, he travels to rediscover happiness. On his journey he visits a little girl in a hospital who teaches him a very important lesson - that one can still find happiness and a sense of humor despite their circumstances.
Saltzman’s favorite part of the book is the concluding message when the jester races back to the castle with rainbows behind him.
Saltzman: And he says they found where laughter has been hiding. It’s hiding inside everyone. It’s buried deep within. You just need to give it a little push to make it pop right out.
In lieu of Giving Tuesday and the holiday season, the USC community participated in this inspirational tradition. People can buy the book and plush doll to give a squeeze and a big smile to a child who may need extra Christmas cheer. The book is on sale for $20, $24 for a bilingual version and $25 for the jester.
For every book or doll purchased today and tomorrow, The Jester & Pharley Phund will donate another to the Orthopedic Institute for Children.
While they book may look like a children’s book it impacts people far beyond their childhood.
Saltzman: I can’t tell you how excited I am to hear from people who love the book. They got the book when they were babies 28 years ago and they love it. And it still helps them every day when they have a tough day so I hope everybody will know that this book is not just delightful for little ones. But it is really so important for all of us to have it because we all have bad days once in a while, and it’s good to find a way to find the laughter that’s hiding inside us.
There is nothing like the warm feeling inside of giving. Look for other opportunities to give back this season.
For Annenberg Media, I’m Erika Driscoll.