#1000 Hello Kitty always makes me smile

It seems appropriate I should start this list with the one thing that always makes me smile – Hello Kitty

I don’t know what it is about Hello Kitty but whenever I am feeling down I can just look at her and smile. Yes, I know this may…no, does…sound weird coming from a guy in his mid forties but whatever. It works for me and maybe works for you too.

Hello Kitty, whose full name is Kitty White, is a fictional character produced by the Japanese company Sanrio and was designed by Yuko Shimizu. The first appearance of Hello Kitty on an item, a vinyl coin purse, was introduced in Japan in 1974 and brought to the United States in 1976. “Hello Kitty” refers to the group of related characters, while the main character herself is known as Kitty White, or affectionately as Kitty-chan so technically we are all getting her name wrong. Hello Kitty is originally Japanese, and according to the official character profile, she was born in the suburbs of London, England on November 1. She is portrayed as a bright and kind-hearted girl, very close to her twin sister Mimmy who is described as “shy and very girly,”. Hello Kitty is good at baking cookies and other treats so we actually have something in common – baking and desserts!

Hello Kitty is portrayed surrounded by a large family who all possess the surname ‘White.’ While Hello Kitty, or technically Kitty White, wears a bow on her left ear, Mimmy wears hers on her right ear. While Hello Kitty’s dresses are normally red, Mimmy’s are normally yellow. This is how to tell them apart.

Hello Kitty is more than just a pretty face.

Did you know there was more to her than just a cute little Japanese character? Yes there is much more. A lot more. In fact the franchise brings in over $5B USD per year. There are Hello Kitty jets, high end jewelry by Swarovski, and a maternity ward. You can even use your Hello Kitty credit card at the Japanese theme parks Harmonyland and Sanrio Puroland. Even “the hottest band in the world – KISS” partnered with Hello Kitty for various products and even a television show. In fact there are over 50,000 different Hello Kitty branded products throughout the world.

See you at the amusement park. I will be the guy with the big smile on his face.

Is there something that always makes you smile when you see it? Click here to leave a comment and share your opinion and experience. Would love to hear from you.