Two companies with breaking news in just the last few days. And both are companies with products I've bought and loved, especially during the holiday seasons. News source was the Gifts & Decorative Accessories newsletter.

Sylvestri has been sold to Gift Acquisition LLC, a division of The D.E. Shaw Group. Shaw also owns toy retailer FAO Schwarz, mytwin.com, and etoys.com.

Figi closed their doors on Thursday, April 28. According to a news brief from Gifts & Decorative Accessories, a spokesman told them "The bank has taken over, and we are liquidating assets."