Teddy Bear Day - 2012 Update

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By Diane Forrest

Oh baby let me be your lovin' teddy bear

Put a chain around my neck

And lead me anywhere

Oh let me be your lovin' teddy bear

I don't wanna be a tiger

'Cause tigers play too rough

I don't wanna be a lion'

Cause lions ain't the kind

you love enough

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How could you   look at a cute little teddy bear and not imagine that they have been around forever?  Well in fact, they have only been around since the early 1900's.  They were invented as a result of a hunting trip here in Mississippi.  President Roosevelt, along with some other men, traveled to Mississippi to hunt bear.  One of Roosevelt's attendants had captured a bear cub and tied it so that the President could shoot it.  However, when Roosevelt saw this cub tied, he refused to shoot it, calling it unsportsman like.  News of this refusal hit the newspapers, and a cartoon was drawn, picturing the saving of the cub.  Morris Michtom saw the drawing of Roosevelt and the bear cub and was inspired to create a new toy. He created a little stuffed bear cub and put it in his shop window with a sign that read "Teddy's bear," after sending a bear to Roosevelt and receiving permission to use his name. The toys were an immediate success and Michtom founded the Ideal Novelty and Toy Co. And that was the beginning of the Teddy Bear.

Today, teddy bears are common everywhere, in fact, I can't imagine a single child who never had one at some time in their life.  I have given them to all my grandchildren and to my son and husband too.  They come in all sizes and colors, and can be very comforting as well as entertaining.

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My husband and I frequently wrote little notes to each other, and while going through my box of notes I found a ransom note.   Apparently during Christmas, my husband received a bag of chocolate kisses for his stocking.  I had of course run out of chocolate, but my husband still had his unopened bag.  When I asked him to share, he refused, so I did the next best thing.  I kidnapped his teddy bear and held him for ransom!  I only asked for a few of the candy kisses, but he offered me the entire bag for the safe return of "Baby Bear".  It was a win-win situation and ended on a happy note.

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Teddy bears are still as popular today.  There are Build-a-Bear stores where you can create your own bear, there are talking bears, cartoon bears, stories about bears, and even a new movie about a bear who comes to life. Teddy bears are carried around by police officers to help calm and comfort a child, and also found in hospitals for comfort.

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Today is Teddy Bear Day.  These bears bring comfort and protection to our lives as well and encourage playfulness and imagination.  Why don’t you respond with some of your favorite Teddy Bear Memories today.

Taking your....

By Diane Forrest,

Take your Teddy Bear to Work Day

Who doesn't love a good sale?  Yesterday the department store in town was having a customer appreciation day.  Many items in the store were 50% off, and if you had the store's credit card you got an extra 15 to 20% off.  Lucky for me I have a store credit card, so how cool is that?  I had a wedding gift to buy, my mother's birthday present, and thought I would look for some Christmas gifts.   When I walked into the Christmas section the first thing I saw was a table full of teddy bears wearing a Santa hat and red scarf.  Well I have a new step grandbaby on the way, due in December, and I also have a soft spot for teddy bears, especially since they were inspired by a hunting trip with President Roosevelt here in Mississippi.  So, I had to get him.

This got me to thinking; nearly the first gift we receive is a teddy bear.  We begin our lives with a teddy, and they are by our sides during the first few years of our lives, giving us comfort and security.   Today is take your teddy bear to work day.  It’s a day to let your pal see what you do all day.  Now of course not everyone can take a teddy to work.  But, there are some people who are fortunate enough to spend their days with teddy bears.  Im not talking about the people who actually make them, but the people who actually work with them.

There are several organizations who collect teddy bears and find new homes for them.  There are so many children in need, children who are sick and in the hospital, feeling scared and alone.  Children who have been through a natural disaster, like floods, hurricanes, tonados and earthquakes, some who have lost all of their belongings need a teddy bear.  Children who have lost their homes in a fire, or who have been in a wreck, need teddy bears.

So, today, if you are not able to take your bear with you to work, then maybe you can find one that needs a good home.  You can click the sites below to donate a teddy, or if you don't have one, or can't part with yours, you can donate money to cover costs.

To donate teddy bears for children in disasters, click here:

http://teddybearbrigade.com/donate-stuffed-animals/ http://www.charity.com/charities/charity_listings/400.shtml

It is Teddy Bear Day!!

By Diane Forrest,

Today is a day that is near and dear to me...and my state, Mississippi.  Today is Teddy Bear Day.  The story goes that back in November, 1902, Mississippi Governor Andrew Longino invited President Theodore Roosevelt to Mississippi to go bear hunting.  Well apparently there were a group of men hunting, and most of the other hunters had already shot a bear.  Not wanting the President to be outdone, his staff cornered and clubbed a sickly old black bear, and tied it up to a tree for him to shoot.  President Roosevelt would have none of that, saying it was unsportsmanlike.  He did however insist they put the bear out of his misery.

When the press got hold  of the story, they of course tried to make something out of nothing, and printed a cartoon that infered some sort of racial undertones.  Mr. Morris Michtom saw the cartoon and made a stuffed bear, put it in his store window with a sign saying Teddy's Bear.  He of course obtained permission from the President to use his name.  The toy became an immediate success and Mr. Michtom went on to found the Ideal Novelty and Toy Company.

At the same time, in Germany, Mr. Richard Steiff also created a bear, but due to poor communications at the time, he was unaware of Mr. Michtom's bear, so there is some disagreement who invented the first bear.  They were all widely popular, and even President Roosevelt used one as a mascot during his re-election campaign.

Teddy bears remain popular today, there is a Build a Bear Workshop, where customers can design their own bear, and there is a Teddy Bear Cop patrol.  They provide bears to children who have been in a fire, accident or other types of emergency situations to help calm them and ease their fears.

In the 1980's and 90's popular bears included Teddy Ruxpin and the Care Bears.   Teddy Ruxpin was a battery operated bear that would tell you stories when a cassette tape was placed in the compartment in his back.  His mouth would move, and you could change his clothes.  The Care Bears were a cartoon that featured several different colored bears who would go on all kinds of adventures.  One of the restaurant chains offered glasses with the different care bears on them.  My father, ever the comedienne, got my 4 little girl cousins each a cute glass with sweetly named bears such as Cheer Bear, Friend Bear, Funshine Bear and Tenderheart Bear, however for everyone else, they all got the same glass, the Grumpy Bear!

I have included pictures of some of my special teddy bears, my "nurse" bears, my sweet little lady bear, and my husband's "baby" bear.  I had to kidnap "baby bear" and ransom him off for some chocolate because my husband wouldn't share his Hershey’s kisses.  I only asked for 2 or 3 pieces, but was offered the whole bag for the safe return of baby bear. 

Today, on Teddy Bear Day, why don't you share some of your favorite bear stories with us.