Enjoy Some Comfort on National Teddy Bear Day

Enjoy Some Comfort on National Teddy Bear Day

Need a hug? Grab your teddy bear on National Teddy Bear Day, which is September 9th!  A teddy bear would bring me comfort as a child, and I had a huge collection of prized teddy bears.  Even one that sat 4 foot tall that my Dad won for me at Baseball and Boardwalk in Haines City, Florida, which closed in 1990.  Listen, I had a whole collection of stuff animals.  You know it's something when your mother makes you pose by all your stuff animals.  Look at this picture, doesn't it just scream 80s!!!!!!!!!!

The Family Corner interviewed Sarah Holmes, Director of Merrythought, which is the last remaining family-owned manufacturer of hand-made teddy bears in the UK.  She noted that “The teddy bear is a very traditional and timeless toy, and is often given as a keepsake to a young child,” she said. “People still see them as an important part of growing up, because they provide comfort and companionship, and a friend to talk to.”

I always enjoyed taking little ones to Build-A-Bear, which is a fantastic adventure.  Picking out the outfit was the best part for me, even though the bear was for a little one!  You can get a bear in every concept possible.  Teddy Bears are not only for kids; they are for adults too.  They have Career themed Bears, Bears sporting your favorite NFL team, and even wedding-themed bears.

However, the most interesting concept about Teddy Bears is how the stuffed cuddly animal got its name.  According to the National Park Service, the teddy bear was invented to honor President Theodore Roosevelt. Apparently, it all started with a hunting trip in 1902 with Mississippi's Governor Andrew H. Longino, where President Roosevelt had not located a single bear.  “Roosevelt's assistants, led by Holt Collier, a born slave, and former Confederate cavalryman, cornered and tied a black bear to a willow tree. They summoned Roosevelt and suggested that he shoot it. Viewing this as extremely unsportsmanlike, Roosevelt refused to shoot the bear. The news of this event spread quickly through newspaper articles across the country. The articles recounted the story of the president who refused to shoot a bear.”

(Source) For more from the Family Corner, click here.  For more from Build-A-Bear, click here.  For more from the National Park Service, click here.