It’s Teddy Bear Day! Okay, I’m just a little more excited than a 33-year-old woman should be, but I don’t care. I love stuffed animals! At the moment, I’m being “watched” from the top of a bookcase by Horton the elephant, Victoria the prim and proper English teddy bear, and Mike Wazowski the lovable one-eyed Disney/Pixar monster – along with several other stuffed friends.
Mom told me I would outgrow my love of stuffed animals, but I have proven her wrong. If I was more impractical with money, I would buy several more just because I love them! I’m that grown woman who would explode with glee to find a life-sized teddy bear waiting for me on Christmas morning. It’s true.
With that being said, I think all couples should celebrate Teddy Bear Day, even if only to get in touch with their silly side (or to make fun of it). ~smile~ Here are a few ways you and your sweetie can enjoy a special day of cuddly friends:
- Pick out a cuddly bear for your sweetie! Eric was a fan of Paddington and I’ve always loved the Berenstain Bears and Winnie the Pooh. Armed with this knowledge, he and I can shop effectively for a Happy Teddy Bear Day ~smile~ No, I’m not holding my breath, but it would be fun to come home to a new cuddly friend this afternoon! (hint, hint)
- Pass out teddy bears at an orphanage or child-care center. This sounds like a major blast. In honor of Teddy Bear Day, create a drop off point for people to donate new or very slightly loved teddy bears, and pass those bears out at an orphanage or underprivileged children’s center. Find out beforehand how many children there are so you can be sure to have enough. That special bear may be priceless to that young child.
- Brush up on your teddy bear history. Come on. That’s fun, right? Or am I the only one who cares about where the teddy bear originated? ~smile~ Create some fun teddy bear trivia note cards, and give your sweetie a small prize for each correct answer. Yes, I’m serious. What, you think this is ridiculous? ~smile~ Who was the teddy bear named after? What was the purpose of the teddy bear? How many teddy bears are produced each year? Have fun with it!
- Pull out your childhood teddy bears and relive the memories. When Eric and I were dating, I walked out to my car after work to discover a teddy bear wearing one of Eric’s t-shirts. It was one of his childhood bears and the gesture proved how well he knew me. When we were getting our engagement pictures done, Eric saw a teddy bear in the studio and asked the photographer to take my picture with it. The photographer was a little taken aback by the request and did not think it would be a good picture, but Eric was insistent. The picture ended up being one of our favorites (which you see in this post). ~smile~ We have a room in our home that houses my large Winnie the Pooh, my equally large “sweater” bear, otherwise known as B.B., and Eric’s childhood bears. Eric may be a go-getter, but he has a sentimental side too (shh… don’t tell ~smile~).
- Get a little silly. I’m all about personification, and I’m aware that others typically are not. Mom, being an elementary school teacher with a vast imagination, had a way of bringing inanimate objects to life. To help entertain me while she was blow drying my hair, Mom would make the hairdryer talk to me in a cartoon voice. I loved it! Creating life and personalities in objects was a blast as a kid. I even felt bad when choosing one box of crayons over another – giving the “loser” a pep talk as I put it back on the shelf. Everything has feelings to me. ~smile~ I could barely watch them tow my old car away. It was as if she (yes, Kaylee to be exact) was saying, “Where am I going? Am I coming back? I’m scared! Mommy!!!” Believe me; I’m really not crazy. I know the difference between real and make believe, but make believe is just more fun! So, in the spirit of your inner six-year-old, set a place at the table for your teddy bears, watch TV with them, and if you dare, even snuggle and sleep with them tonight. It’s all in honor of a holiday, so there’s no need to feel weird (at least, tonight ~wink~).
Teddy bears and stuffed animals hold a special place in my heart because they make the world feel happier and kinder. No, I’d never want to come face-to-face with a grizzly bear, but I can snuggle up with a stuffed bear and feel better. They are tactile. They give us something to hug when we just need to embrace “someone.” They comfort us when we lose a pet. They give us something to hold when we are away from the one we love.
I know many adults do not share my love and appreciation of stuffed animals, but I think more do than will admit! ~smile~ Get a little silly today, take a teddy bear selfie, and make it your profile picture! You know you want to!
How will you celebrate Teddy Bear Day with your special someone?