Alone in my apartment, I hug Elmo.
It's a tentative embrace. We haven't known each other that long, after all. But Elmo is confident that a good time will be had by all. "Elmo loves giving you hugs," he tells me with a giggle.
Big Hugs Elmo ($149.99 at Amazon) , as his name suggests, is indeed enamored by hugs. "Please pick up Elmo, and let's hug!" he demands after being left alone too long. Once you comply, he'll launch into a short song about the benefits of hugs ("they make you feel special") and praise your skills in this arena ("Wow! That was a big hug!"). For more, gently press his stomach.
But lest you think Big Hugs Elmo is a one-trick pony, he is also concerned about keeping you fit. Squeeze his left foot for suggestions on how to foster an active lifestyle and imagination. "Let's pretend we're horses," he offers. I reject this proposal, but agree to make believe we are "astronauts flying together." Elmo channels George Clooney in Gravity, and he's quite the thespian. But if that's not your thing, Elmo also enjoys pretending he's a rabbit or frog, and dancing. He's very well-rounded.
"IMPORTANT," reads the packaging. "Do not leave Elmo with arms bent for long periods of time." There is no further explanation. The warning is included on a single slip of paper inside the packaging, next to a black-and-white graphic of a rather terrified-looking Elmo, his arms hanging in the air, waiting for someone – anyone – to return his embrace. What happens if those arms remain bent? Does Elmo becoming self-aware and gather his Sesame Street comrades to rise up against us? Does he lose his childlike exuberance? Let's just hope you heed Hasbro's warning so we'll never have to find out.
He is already aware of one thing – when he's upside down. Should you choose to carry Elmo around by his legs like a savage, he'll giggle politely but thank you profusely once you return him to the right-side up position. His hugging arms mean well but are a bit flimsy, so I wouldn't recommend using them to drag him around.
Should you welcome Big Hugs Elmo into your home, know that he has two speeds: Play and Sleep. Play mode involves hugs and space travel and keeping an eye on those arms. In sleep mode, Elmo will help whisk you off to sleep, snoring a bit and giving a few last hugs before falling into a dreamless sleep, for toys do not dream.
They do, however, require four AA batteries, housed in a chamber in Elmo's back that needs a Philips/cross head screwdriver to remove, neither of which are included. His plastic middle makes Elmo a tad hefty at 3.4 pounds (and perhaps a nifty weapon for siblings in a fightin' mood), but nothing the average Elmo fan couldn't handle.
Hasbro recommends Big Hugs Elmo for those ages 18 months to 4 years. Smaller hands will likely need help turning him on or off; controls are located behind a Velcro patch on his back, next to the batteries.
Big Hugs Elmo is good at his job, but he's more than a one-trick pony, offering up ways to keep imaginations active and helping kids get to sleep once Elmo has tuckered them out.
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