Sam J. Butcher desired to reach out to people with a message of God's love. To convey his message, Sam began drawing the endearing teardrop-eyed children he called “Precious Moments” for family and friends. Then in 1978, the Original 21 Precious Moments figurines were released to worldwide acclaim and a new collecting and gift-giving tradition was born. Around the world, Precious Moments became known for its beautiful, hand-painted porcelain bisque figurines celebrating love, faith, family, and friendship.