A comic once quipped that he wanted to die healthy. It’s common knowledge that exercise, eating well and not smoking are well documented ways to maintaining good health. It’s now appears to be more accepted that in order to help reduce the onset of various dementias, keeping one’s brain healthy is also important. Reading is an obvious activity as is doing puzzles. They can be word puzzles or number puzzles such as crosswords or sudoku. Jigsaw puzzles also fall into the category. You are being asked to use your cognitive skills to recognise and assemble hundreds of small pieces into one complete image. Strategy is required as is the ability to recognise shapes and colours and to be able to put the pieces into the right space. Lots of trial and error occur but, sooner or later the picture is completed to the satisfaction of the puzzler. Puzzles, serendipitously invented over 200 years ago in London, are still with us because of the challenge and satisfaction of engaging ones mental skills, concentration and hand-eye coordination in a pleasurable activity remains appealing.

When puzzles were first invented over 200 years ago by a London mapmaker who would have reckoned with their staying power? Now in the economic downturn puzzles have once again proven their appeal: value. Compared to going out to a movie for two plus a snack, you can get a brand new jigsaw puzzle which will provide a satisfying challenge, is easily shared and can last for weeks at a time. Products come and go but jigsaw puzzles originally developed as a geographic teaching aid are here to stay.

Our inbox has been bristling with e-mail enquiries from literally around the globe. Gibsons puzzles unique nostalgic look have taken the fancy of puzzlers from Canada to Australia. The Gibsons puzzles we find most popular are those that are based on paintings. Pictures of people interacting with each other, whether it be buying fresh produce or flowers at the market, visiting the village blacksmith or having a snowfight, we can safely say are our most consistent bestsellers. There are several Gibsons puzzle artists who are eagerly sought after and once their new pictures arrive it’s hard to keep them in stock.  Photographs are more the norm from other European manufacturers and, quite frankly, how many ways can you photograph the same castle? Anyway for us, it’s from strength to strength.

This year’s Christmas puzzle is, like the 2008 Gibsons Christmas puzzle, based on a painting by Marcello Corti. This is Gibsons most fantastic Christmas jigsaw puzzle yet with an almost dizzying array of light and magic in which the villagers are enjoying a moment of sheer pleasure with their families. Warm wine, brightly lit snowflakes and glorious old fashioned toy shops add to the brilliant atmosphere. Pretzels, mulled wine and the midnight market are hallmarks of the season.