Turkey, turkey, turkey!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and enjoyed spending time with all of your family and friends. We had a great time at my mother in-law's house, and we ate, ate, and ate some more! Thankfully, my mother in-law had a 22 lb. turkey, so there were plenty of leftovers for us all to take home. There's nothing like that day-after-Thanksgiving turkey sandwich, which can only be enhanced with my sister's clam dip and chips!

This morning, Betty was up bright and early, taking advantage of the Day After Thanksgiving Sales! I don't know how she does it, fighting all the crowds, but she always comes away a winner!

Speaking of holiday shopping, the phones are ringing off the hook and every couple of seconds, my email notification sounds off! It looks like it's going to be a bright holiday season here at Hocus Pocus! Thank you!

With that said, I'll cut it short, but before I do, I want to say thank you all, for your tremendous support and holiday wishes.

Until next time,

Paul

Giving Thanks

Pass the turkey and don't hog the gravy! Yep -- it's that time of year again! Thanksgiving is just a few days away! What happened to the months of October and November? They went by so quickly, I couldn't believe it. Almost as if I blinked and it was over!

I don't know how you spend your Thanksgiving, but for the Gross household, we'll be going to my mother in-law's as always. There'll be plenty of turkey, dressing, gravy, mashed potatoes, and all sorts of appetizers. And of course, how can I forget her yalanchi and suberage? They're to die for, both these Armenian delicacies! My sons, Max and Cole, will fight over who gets the wishbone. I don't have to tell you, but you probably know that Max wins out every time. There will be so much food, even after we're finished it won't look like the food was even touched! My mother in-law swears she'll never cook so much again, but she always manages to outdo herself every year. Don't forget, as you sit down with your family, friends, and loved ones, to give thanks for all you have.

For me personally, I'm thankful for my loving wife, Betty, who supports my every endeavor 100%. I'm thankful for my four children, who are all healthy and happy. I'm thankful that my needs are met on a daily basis, and I'm thankful for each and every Hocus Pocus supporter, who enables me to make a living doing what I enjoy the most! I thank you!

So don't overeat (yeah, right), and toast to your family, and if you want, email us and let us know how you spend your holidays! I always enjoy hearing from you.

So, on behalf of myself and the Hocus Pocus family, I wish you the very best of Thanksgivings.

Until next time,

Paul

We Salute You!

Today, as everyone knows, is Veteran's Day. We wish to take a moment and thank all the men and women who have given so much to guarantee our freedom! With great respect and honor, we salute all veterans, past, present, and those who have given the ultimate sacrifice to insure we live safely and securely! Thank you, all!

Busy is the key word here at Hocus Pocus! If you've been keeping tabs on our web site, you'll see exactly what we mean! Mike took a short vacation and was gone for three days, but you wouldn't have known as he took his laptop with him and continued to update the site in his absence! You can check out the photos below and see that it wasn't all work for Mike:


A view from Mike's room.


Monterey, California


Mike's Hotel, the Monterey Beach Hotel


Alexander Valley


Criss Angel Mastermind DVD, Volume 1

Hooray! After many long delays, the Criss Angel Coin in Soda Can finally arrived on Tuesday! The shipping department had to arrive extra early to guarantee shipping a little over 300 pre-orders along with the orders placed that day for the long-anticipated DVD! It was quite a feat, and all packages went out without a hitch! If you haven't yet ordered this DVD, we have plenty in stock for immediate delivery!



If you are looking for holiday effects to add to your shows, make sure you check out the Hocus Pocus Holiday Section located here! You'll find lots of great effects and even some new ones like "Forgetful Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" and "Christmas Presents!"

We keep saying it every week, but the holidays are fast approaching! Here are a couple of sneaky ways to give hints to those who are wondering what to get you:

1. If you're a member and have a wish list, why not print off a copy and leave it in a conspicuous place?

2. You could always ask for a gift certificate for Hocus Pocus!

Rest assured, we'll take good care of all who call to make sure they make the best selection possible!

Last week, I told you that we were undertaking a major remodeling of the Gross family household, and this week it began in full force! Ripping up carpet, tearing down walls, and removing kitchen cabinets have insured that Betty and I will be going out for dinner this week! The entire process will last until the end of January/beginning of February, and I just keep telling myself how great it will look when it's all done!

Keep yourself busy but remember to have a lot of fun in the process! Have a safe and happy weekend.

Until next time,

Paul

Only Two Months Left!

As I sit here and write the blog today, I look at the calendar and realize that we are only a couple of months away from the end of this year and the beginning of a brand new year! This year seems to have raced faster than any other. My dad always said, "The older you get, son, the faster the years pass by," and he was right! Before you know it, it will be "Pass the turkey," and then the Christmas carols begin.

This week has also zipped by extremely fast. Lots of new items hitting the door every day, and as fast as we put them up, more and more come in! Do yourself a favor and check out the Skeleton Mental Energy Transfer pocket watch on the site. Only 12 have been made exclusively for us at Hocus Pocus, and we've already sold 8 of them. The only way to get yours is to pre-order it today, because as soon as we sell out, it will disappear forever from our site!

Also, we just received long-overdue reprints of some of the best magic books ever printed: Strong Magic by Darwin Ortiz, Smoke and Mirrors by John Bannon, and Seance by Scott Moore-Davis! If you've checked out eBay in the past few years, you'll undoubtedly remember copies of Seance going for upwards of $500.00! Wow!

One more thing I'm proud to carry is something called the Old Lady Illusion. When we first viewed the demo video, we couldn't believe our eyes! I am convinced that if you ever wanted to add a quick-change illusion to your show, this would be a great way to start! This effect is perfect for all types of audiences, whether you perform for children or adults, and it is a guaranteed applause-getter! If you don't believe me, click here and watch the online video for yourself! That's what I really like about this business: looking for unique and different magic effects that cannot be found elsewhere.

I enjoyed being on the Mike on the Mic Program on Magic Broadcast this week with Mike Giusti. Thanks to the listeners for the great comments and questions. There was one person in particular who sent me and Mike a very heartfelt letter, and I told Mike the very next day that receiving that letter was worth the entire broadcast! Support the Magic Broadcast and help it continue to grow. Check it out here!

This weekend starts the major remodeling of the Gross household. What once started as wall painting has turned into a major ordeal, and for the next two months, or possibly longer, I will update you as the process continues. There may be some inconveniences, but I know the payoff will be worth it, and I look forward to the beginning of this project!

Until next time,

Paul