Did you know that September 9 is the day that teddy bears are celebrated? This iconic childhood toy came about after President Theodore Roosevelt refused to shoot a bear during a hunting trip. From what I have read, a black bear was tied to a tree so that the president could shoot him. Even though Mr. Roosevelt was an outdoorsman, he refused to fire his gun since it would have been inhumane to kill the bear under such a circumstance. This incident popularized bears and when a stuffed animal in their likeness was created, it was named in honor of Theodore Roosevelt. Yet today, the teddy bear is a common toy for young children. I still have my childhood bear.
I do believe he was a gift from my grandparents when I was a baby. You can see that he no longer sits up very straight or tall and his fur looks a bit worn, but he has been around for many years. While I was fond of him and my other stuffed animals, I was always preferred playing with my dolls.
My other teddy bear is actually a Boston terrier bear and was a 40th birthday gift from my sister and her family. He, by contrast, does sit up straight and tall and he still has thick and soft fur. How about you? Did you have a teddy bear growing up and, is he still around?
I hope you had a "beary" good day!