Thomas & Friends: The Birthday Express {Review & Giveaway}

{This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations, T @ The Happy Clipper!}

Lately I feel like I've had multiple conversations with moms about a certain television show that their son watches or a cast of characters that their daughter is a fan of... and, more often than not, there are other moms who have never heard of them. Is that a new one? Have they been around long? Wait, who?

Then there are those shows that are classic and have entertained children for decades with their imaginative tales and adventures - they just can't seem to go wrong! And one name that definitely comes to mind as being universally-loved by boys and girls of all ages is surely Thomas & Friends.

Created by a father for his son nearly 65 years ago, Thomas the Tank Engine and his railway friends are now embarking on their ventures for families in more than 185 territories and in 30 languages. This cheeky, somewhat-fussy, #1 blue Really Useful Engine makes tracks to great destinations on the Island of Sodor and beyond and is always a little over-eager to do things that are best left to bigger and more sensible engines.

But by inviting children into his world of imagination, Thomas and his friends are able to teach timeless life lessons of discovery, friendship and cooperation right in with their entertaining stories. And, available today, May 17, on DVD, Thomas & Friends: The Birthday Express is no exception!

There's a party on the Island of Sodor, and you're invited! Join Thomas the Tank Engine and all his railway pals as they celebrate the joy and surprises of birthdays in Thomas & Friends: The Birthday Express from Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment. This fully-loaded DVD also includes a bonus wooden whistle set that is sure to excite any young Thomas fan.

Including four fun episodes in this special Thomas & Friends collection, there's no doubt that birthdays always come with surprises when your engine friends are part of the celebration. Tales such as Percy safely delivering a beautifully wrapped present and Thomas encountering a mystery as he takes Sir Topham Hatt to the party are just the beginning. It's just full steam ahead for birthday fun!

With a running time of 46 minutes, everything from the episodes to the bonus features to the wooden whistle (especially the wooden whistle) make this a fun DVD to add to your collection. Kids love birthday parties and kids love Thomas, so by combining the two, it's a winning combination.

Available now in stores or online at Amazon, Thomas & Friends: The Birthday Express retails for around $16.98 and will continue to teach timeless life lessons for years to come. Which is exactly what one person will discover as well, because...

One lucky person will win a copy of Thomas & Friends:
The Birthday Express on DVD!

To enter to win: Tell me what the child in your life enjoys the most about birthday parties OR the theme of a past or upcoming birthday party that you hosted.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry (per method) if you Like Thomas & Friends on Facebook.
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

Choo choo! I want to WIN a copy of Thomas & Friends: The Birthday Express on DVD! #thxmailcarrier http://bit.ly/jPL31l #giveaway #win

2 Extra Entries (per follow method) if you follow me publicly with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email, become a fan on Facebook or add Thanks, Mail Carrier to your blogroll.
3 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on June 7th at 11:59pm CST. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

A big thank you to Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment for providing a copy of Thomas & Friends: The Birthday Express for me to review as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.