This week I read a review of the book, “Much Loved“. Basically, the book is a collection of photographs and stories about childhood teddy bears. It reminded me of my own childhood bear, which I still have. Digging it out of a storage box, I held it up and gazed into its blue yarn eyes….it had plastic eyes, but I chewed them off as a youngster and mom closed the holes with blue yarn. I began to look through old photographs to see if I could find one of my bear and me. Instead, I found one of me holding a Winnie the Pooh and I remembered instantly how much I loved that bear too, although that toy didn’t stand the test of time. Teddy bears have comforted and delighted children and adults for more than a hundred years, and continue to hold a special place in our society and hearts.

This past weekend I visited both of my nieces. The oldest, who turned four a couple of days ago, has loved stuffed bears and soft toys since she was an infant. One of my favorite memories was of her first Christmas. She received a giant teddy bear and returned to it over and over, falling on it and ‘attacking’ it with hugs. The youngest, who is 9 months old, has a collection of stuffed bears handed down from family as well as new. One of the new bears is shaped in the form of a seat. She crawls over to it and plops face first into the soft seat, smiling and making happy babbling sounds.

Around the country several crisis response teams have kits for families and children experiencing difficult situations, and often in those kits a stuffed bear is included. I think the teddy bear has become a symbol of comfort as well as love. Valentine’s day is around the corner and inevitably there will be shelves of stuffed bears holding hearts bearing affectionate sayings.

What is it that makes teddy bears stand the test of time as the top cuddle choice of kids? Did you have a favorite bear or stuffed animal as a child? Do you still have it?