Inspire Appreciation for Teddy Bears

Your first toy was probably a teddy bear. One of the most common gifts for a newborn, a teddy bear is soft, cuddly, and gentle to use. It's a beloved toy by everyone, and like most things, it has a unique history.

Today, September 9, is National Teddy Bear Day. What better way to celebrate than featuring teddy bears, right? The history of teddy bears began on November 14, 1902, when President Theodore Roosevelt was on a bear hunting trip in Onward, Mississippi. During the trip, hunting guides clubbed a bear and tied it to a tree, then they invited Roosevelt to shoot the bear. But the president couldn't shoot the bear, saying it would be unsportsmanlike to kill a defenseless animal that way. 

Just like today, it didn't take long for the news of the event to spread across the country in newspaper articles. People were shocked that Roosevelt--a big game hunter--had refused to shoot and kill a bear. 

Clifford Berryman's political cartoon (photo/All That's Interesting).

The story caught the attention of political cartoonist Clifford Berryman. He depicted the story in a cartoon, which circulated throughout the U.S. People were inspired by the cartoon. Brooklyn, New York shopkeeper Morris Michtom and his wife, Rose, decided to make a stuffed fabric bear in honor of Roosevelt. They displayed it in their store window, appropriately calling the bear "Teddy's bear." It attracted plenty of attention from their customers. 

Once they realized the potential, the Michtoms wrote to Roosevelt and they officially got his permission to use his name for future bears they would produce and sell. They started a successful company that manufactured bears and they would always be called "teddy bears." 

President Theodore Roosevelt with a teddy bear (photo/Pinterest).

In 1906, teddy bears became more popular and sparked an international craze. More and more toy companies began producing their own bears. Children loved to cuddle with the stuffed bears, which can come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. 

My parents' teddy bears from the late 1950s.

I'd like to think that this hasn't changed. I hope children still like to cuddle with teddy bears. I hope they still give the bears their own names and their own personalities. 

I loved my Little Bear stuffed bear, modeled after the popular children's books series, as well as the animated television series. I received my Little Bear from my grandparents for my fifth birthday, and it will always be nostalgic for me. I took Little Bear with me on vacations, and I always made sure my mom remembered to pack him in our suitcase before we left the hotel. I didn't want to leave him behind! He was my friend, and I will always, always, always love Little Bear. 

Always. 

My Little Bear with the children's books series.

I hope children still play with teddy bears, but if they don't, let's bring them back. Let's bring back the soft, comforting stuffed bears that have always been there for us. Let's bring them back--because there is no better feeling than hugging a cuddly bear and falling asleep. It's the best, and I hope every child is fortunate enough to experience this. 

-KJL-