Hoptimists are all about smiles and a surplus of energy. We are in no doubt at all about why we’ve thrown ourselves into producing Hoptimists. It’s because there is something about Hoptimists. They make people smile, inject life and give people the urge to do something. Most smiles start with another smile. Hoptimists smile at you and wait for your response: Maybe a smile, perhaps a slight tap to get the figure moving. They repay you by bouncing up and down, powered by surplus energy. Just as you knew they would – just as they do every time. Children know it instinctively. They see right away how the Hoptimist repays their touch. And it is that same child-like anticipation that compels grown-ups to raise their hand and give the Hoptimist a wee jog. The rest is mechanics: When the energy from your hand presses down on the spring, the figure is brought to life. Just a bit and just for a short while – exactly what you were expecting.