ASBURY PARK, N.J. — Some people may think the Christmas lights showing up on store shelves is the beginning of the holiday season, but for many, it's the traditional "unveiling'' of the Hess Truck, a popular seasonal toy since the first release to Hess gas stations in 1964.

This year's truck is the heaviest and most complex yet, according to the company.

The Hess Dump Truck and Loader is for sale only at www.hesstoytruck.com for $33.99. That includes free standard shipping and five Energizer batteries included.

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"The Dump Truck features a hydraulic powered lifting bed, LED lights, four realistic sound effects, and a fold-down tailgate with slide-out ramp,'' according to the announcement from Hess. "The Loader, which has an extending excavator arm and bucket combination, self-propels in multiple directions via dual-track treads and a 270-degree rotating cab. Together, the duo boasts 350 parts."

If you want your kids to avoid brain drain over the holidays, consider this:

Available for free download is a new STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) curriculum with eight lessons, all featuring the truck. The STEM curriculum is good for home or school use, teaching kids about lifting forces, leverage, degrees of freedom and other concepts.

The Hess Truck is considered a collectible, and isn't sold in stores.

Last year, the Hess Truck Company offered a drag race car on a flatbed truck.

Hess stations became Speedway gas stations in 2014 when Marathon Petroleum bought the retail arm of the company.

Visit www.hesstoytruck.com for more information.

Follow Tammy Paolino on Twitter: @CP_TammyPaolino