Wednesday, September 2, 2020

Why are Teddy Bears the Best Gift Ever?

According to the Days of the Year.com, September 9th is Teddy Bear Day!  It's coming up soon, so you have time to get ready!

Now I just have to ask, "Who doesn't Love Teddy Bears?"

teddy bear

Image by Alexas_Fotos from Pixabay

In our family Teddy Bears have always played an important role.  Starting with my Uncle, who has in excess of 80+ bears in his collection, and my Mother-In-Law who collected bears for many years right down to our grandchildren who have their favorite bears, we are a teddy bear loving family.

When you hear that someone is expecting a baby, one of the first things that baby will receive as a gift is a Teddy Bear.  Everyone always loves to give that Teddy a squeeze or two before it goes home with the new baby, you just can't help yourself.

What makes these bears so lovable?

Let's start with a bit of history!  Teddy Bears got their first real stroke of fame after 1902!
Then, President Theodore Roosevelt, refused to kill a bear while on a visit to a Natural Area in Mississippi!  They had chained a bear so that it would be an easy kill for him.  The President refused to shoot him.  A toy maker in New York, loved the story so much, he made a toy bear and asked the President's permission to name him "Teddy".    Hence the first Teddy Bears bore the name "Teddy" in his honor.

Fast forward to today, we are still in love with this icon of a toy!  In fact I don't know a single child who hasn't had a teddy bear somewhere in his life.  

It's a great toy for either boys or girls and sometimes even for the young and the young at heart.  When we were in Jasper (Alberta, Canada) last year, the only thing my uncle wanted was a Teddy Bear!
We didn't fail in our attempt to bring him one either.  The Jasper National Park had a Gift Center and Teddy Bears (Black Bears) were there!   The purchase helped raise money for on going Naturalist Programs in the National Park.  So we purchased a bear and felt good that we were fulfilling two wishes with the one purchase.    

There isn't a celebration anywhere that can't be enhanced by the addition of Teddy Bears!

Baby Showers, Gradations, Weddings have all been settings where Teddy Bears have had a place.  

Even in hard times, Teddy Bears can make life easier, especially for children.  I know my own granddaughter took her Teddy "Alfie" with her when she needed her appendix removed.  Having his comfy, stuffed body close to hers made going to the hospital a little more "bearable".   The nurses at the hospital even had a tiny hospital gown for the bear!

girl on a gurney holding a teddy bear



There is something about their plump, plush bodies that seem to give comfort to an ailing child.  Many a child has used their bears as a "confidante" or a reading mate.  Children are even encouraged to bring their favorite Bears to school.  Show and Tell time would be pretty dull without at least a bear or two. Even riding in the car is more fun when you share your Car Seat with your favorite friend.

sleeping child in a car seat holding teddy bear


The Police and Ambulance workers in our city carry Teddy bears with them on patrols!  If a child is in need of comfort, there is a Teddy Bear ready and willing to be with the child in need.  Traumas can come in many different places and the Teddy Bears are there just waiting to help.  One size Bear fits all!  

Social workers use Teddy Bears with children in some very hard and dark places in their little lives.  The children seem to relate to the bears and will tell them all kinds of things that they may not tell an adult.  To many children, their teddy bears are their best friends!

September 9th this year is Teddy Bear Day.  Why not have a great Teddy Bear Picnic at your house for all your furry, fluffy and stuffy bears (and whatever other animals you have)!  Invite the Grandchildren to bring theirs along too!  

You can then tell them the story of the Teddy Bears Picnic and if you still have time for some fun, put on the music too!  

If you are really interested in Teddy Bears as a collectible (and some are) then you could invest in a book. 

teddybear encyclopedia
Available on Amazon - Click Here



 The Teddy Bear Encyclopedia is one book that we had purchased for my Mother In Law when she was setting out to collect her bears.  She knew everything there was to know about what made them collectible or not.  This book is a great resource for everything you could want to know about Teddy Bears!  I bet you didn't know there was such a book!

My own collection of Teddy Bears is pretty neat I think.  Inherited from my mother-in-law is the one Steiff Bear, he's little, but oh so lovely!  Steiff Bears are definitely collectibles and are easily known by the "button" you find in his left ear!  If you buy one of these for your children, do not remove that stud!  You can find  out more about Steiff Bears right here!  Some of the bears pictured below are from my own childhood and they still live with me. 

collection of teddy bears


Teddy Bears have all kinds of facial expressions and sometimes it\s hard to find that one that just speaks to your heart.  This bear is an Amazon Favorite.  He just has so much character in his face and the size of the bear is just perfect for little kids and bigger ones too!



Philbin as this bear is known, is the same one my granddaughter has, she renamed him CoCo!  I love the character that comes through his facial features.  He just is so much cuter in person (so to speak)!  He's soft and squishy, molds easily to a little ones face or body and is just cuddly.  He's one popular bear for those reasons and more.

Of course there are also many hand made Teddy Bears that are also special in their own way.  Someone took the time to craft a bear just for you!  It is a "one of a kind" and will always be that.  How special could your next Teddy Bear gift be?

One of our contributors here at REVIEW THIS REVIEWS, makes hand made bears and other animals all available at her Etsy Shop, just click the link  CoastalCrochet Crafts !  I'm sure Miss Elf (as she's known here) would only be too happy to send you one of her "special bears".  

There are many days in the year dedicated to celebrating Teddy Bears and I love to celebrate often.  It certainly has made 2020 more enjoyable.  Teddies don't worry about spreading anything but love!










Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


18 comments:

  1. Love your teddy bear story and history, Olivia. My first-born son was given a teddy bear as a newborn gift and it became his constant companion for the fist 4 years of his life. He called him simply 'teddy bear' and he went everywhere with him. My son, Christopher (named for Christopher Robin from Winnie-the-Pooh) seemed to naturally know that a teddy was exactly the companion for him. When he finally gave him up, I wrapped this worn, patched, much loved 'teddy bear' up and put him away in a safe place "just in case" Christopher wanted him back. Teddy Bear returned to him on his wedding day, with a letter to his new wife welcoming her to the family and telling her all about her 'Chris'in the first four years of his life that they shared together. So you see, teddy bears are quite special to me too. :)

    BTW, thank you SO much for the sweet mention of the teddy bears and more which can be found in my Etsy Shop. ~Elf

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    1. Oh thank you Pat, I know many of my friends are also Teddy Bear Lovers. My son had a special bear, and we put him away for safe keeping and lost him. I've looked for a similar bear for years and have not found one like it yet. Your welcome for the mention. I do think hand made gifts are special all on their own and was happy to include you in there.

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  2. Olivia, I'm a teddy bear lover from way back. I didn't let go of my beloved stuffed bears until I was nearly 50, when I gave them to some kids who needed them much more than I did. The very, very tiny bears (one is less than 1/2" tall) that my late mother gave me still have a special place of honor on display in my living room. I loved reading your family stories about teddy bears and seeing your personal collection. The Teddy Bear Encyclopedia sounds like a gift any collector would appreciate!

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    1. It is amazing the information that is contained in the Encyclopedia. The differences between bears that are hinged, static and so much more. Teddy Bear collectors are very specific about what they want in a bear and they spend big bucks to get the perfect bear for their collections. It is a great reference book for bears.

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  3. I agree with you Olivia, everyone loves Teddy bears! A big Teddy bear was the first gift I remember buying for our daughter's first Christmas. The bear was bigger than she was, but she loved that bear (and still does). btw, I prefer the name your granddaughter gave her bear! CoCo is so much better than Philbin. Teddy bears definitely deserve their own day of celebration as a most beloved toy.

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    1. What a special gift that was too! I'm sure she's grown into the size of the bear by now. The girls were very good at naming their own bears, mom did not help. Addie the one sleeping in the car seat has her CoCo in her bed waiting for her every night. Lauren the elder, is quickly growing out of her bear, yet he was the one she had with her through all her traumas. Teenagers soemtimes don't want to admit they still need their bears.

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  4. Thanks for all the wonderful information on Teddy Bears. They are a favorite in my family too!

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    1. Glad to hear it Mary Beth. There is something about Teddy Bears that just tugs at my heartstrings. Some of the faces are just "ripe" for some kiddie love! You just know it's the right one when you look into their eyes.

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  5. Thank you for sharing some things I didn't know about Teddy bears. I agree they are perfect gifts for many occasions. I didn't realize emergency responders carried them to give to traumatized children.

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    1. I don't know if every emergency responders have Teddy Bears with them, but in our city, they do. Car accidents, fires, and any other kind of accident can really make a child feel vulnerable. Having a Teddy Bear to snuggle can calm them easier than anything that could be said by adults. I'm glad you learned something new too!

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  6. Not only are teddies great "pets" they can be valuable. As an eBay seller I am always looking for a "Hidden Micky" bear.

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    1. Yes some of the bears are really collectible and valuable too. I like that kids can put their own value on their favorite bears. I know Alfie and CoCo are priceless to the girls.

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  7. I love that those nurses had a tiny hospital gown for your granddaughter's bear. How sweet and caring is that? At one point in time, I did collect a few Teddy bears. Nothing better than collecting comfort, right? Thanks for giving us all a heads up on Teddy Bear Day. Now that's one day we can all whole-heartedly celebrate.

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  8. Hospitals and police are becoming much more aware that little people need comfort in stressful times just as adults do. Bringing their favorite Teddy with them during a surgical procedure can relieve some of the stress for little people.

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  9. Oh what a wonderful story Olivia. Thanks for that little bit of history, I've never heard that story of how Teddy Bears got their name.

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  10. Awe, so precious, your grand-daughter with her Teddy Bear. I had no idea that fire and police carried Teddy Bears with them here - that's fantastic. Bears, even Teddy Bears are a big part of our family. My dads nickname was 'Bear' - a big guy with a big heart, loved beyond words.

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  11. I loved reading your article about teddy bears! I still have my first teddy bear that was given to me by my parents when I was born. You are right there is something very comforting and special about teddy bears.

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  12. Who could disagree that a teddy bear makes the best gift! They make for great story telling over the years too. I used to have a large collection but in moving several years ago they were all stolen. I have a few new ones, so the joy continues!

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