Teddy bears.

MissA-I think that Prince Andrew should have stuck at Teddy ?. When he starts to move onto real women, it doesn't always go quite so well....

I don’t think it’s odd to collect teddies but I think it’s very odd for an adult to take them on holiday or wedding or anything else I can’t even get my clothes in a suitcase let alone teddies

The amount we get donated in the charity shop is ridiculous bags and bags of them

It's probably a fad thing to start taking teddies out and about.
Cutesy.

I don’t collect teddies but I have been given a few as presents over the years. I’m a fan of Winnie the Pooh and have an ancient Pooh bear, not like the Disney version.

Chocolatelovinggran I'm in the NW and so used this one: The Dolls House Shop and Doll & Teddy Hospital, but I think they have others across the country.

I think it’s very odd for an adult to take them on holiday or wedding or anything else I can’t even get my clothes in a suitcase let alone teddies.

I'd rather see a teddy shoved in a bag on holiday, or at a wedding, than those tiny little dogs shoved in a bag! How grim must the inside of the bag be when they eventually lift it out?

I'm in favour of harmless eccentricities.

Does anyone remember the film Amélie where she takes a garden gnome and gives it to an air stewardess friend who sends photos of it pictured in front of sights all over the world?

The Repair Shop prompted me to find a local bookbinder. They did a beautiful job of restoring my late mother’s treasured copy of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. One hundred years old, it has now been passed on to an appreciative GC of mine.

OH gave me a teddy over 40 years ago as a present for typing up his dissertation. I called it Araminta Southgate. I only discovered the name Araminta after my daughter was born. I would have loved to use that name - Minty for short. I bought the teddy a baby grow from M&S and it sits on a basket in my bedroom.

DH has his childhood teddy who sits on the windowsill in the spare bedroom waving to children passing by. I have my very first doll who sits on my bed.
I don’t see anything more odd about collecting teddies than anything else.
If you think about many hobbies they are quite strange.
Golf…. hitting a small ball into a small hole.
Patchwork… cutting up bits of fabric and sewing them back together.
Collecting stamps…,sit and look at them.

Whatever floats your boat as they say.

Chewbacca

I had my 2 childhood teddy bears repaired about 10 years ago and it cost me £50 per bear.

Well that's about a fifth of the costs I've seen on a couple of web sites, so I'll get in touch, thanks! They don't seem to have a website with a price list, just a Facebook page, but I'll message them.

I think having a Teddy Bear companion is an affectation, remember Sebastian Flyte in Brideshead Revisited?
His bear was named Aloysius after Aloysius Gonzaga the Jesuit priest.

Ladyfieldlover My youngest sons first serious girlfriend at university was Araminta or Minty, we loved her name and it suited her well. She is the most delightful girl, we were very sorry when the relationship ended.

Casdon

I don’t think it’s any more odd to collect teddy bears than it is to collect china, or stamps, or whatever. People collect all sorts of weird things, don’t they? The only one that freaks me out is those dolls that look like real babies.

Exactly what I was going to say Casdon People collect all sorts of things.

Juliet27

I accidentally knocked my very old Teddy out of the cupboard the other day. I said sorry and gave him a kiss before I put him back. Am I odd?

Not at all. I think he probably appreciated your concern over his welfare

Now I'm feeling bad that my Teddy is in a box in the attic.

I did, however, buy a bunny that I couldn't resist, and he sits on top of my dresser for when grandchildren come. DH laughed when I came home with the rabbit and asked who it was for. When I replied 'me', he definately gave me a look. But bunny is so soft and cuddly, I couldn't leave him in the store.

Why should it be wrong or weird for people to collect whatever they like, even the dolls that look like real babies. They are doing no harm to anyone. It only gets weird when someone fills their entire house with their collection.

So let's raise a glass to our eccentrics, who I agree are often colourful characters who brighten our world. Good luck to them.

The OP is not referring to collectors but to the people that behave as though the bear were real.

Chestnut

Why should it be wrong or weird for people to collect whatever they like, even the dolls that look like real babies. They are doing no harm to anyone. It only gets weird when someone fills their entire house with their collection.

So let's raise a glass to our eccentrics, who I agree are often colourful characters who brighten our world. Good luck to them.

Lovely words

Lovely bunny, CanadianGran

My Grandma had never had a teddy bear in her life. She used to laugh at the amount I had.

On her 75th birthday we presented her with the most gorgeous teddy that she adored.

Chestnut

Why should it be wrong or weird for people to collect whatever they like, even the dolls that look like real babies. They are doing no harm to anyone. It only gets weird when someone fills their entire house with their collection.

So let's raise a glass to our eccentrics, who I agree are often colourful characters who brighten our world. Good luck to them.

In fairness, the OP is not talking about collectors but about adults who seem to treat the bears like companions, bringing them to weddings and restaurants etc. In some cases maybe just affectation or eccentricity, but if it was a child or close relative of mine I would be sad and worried.

I think we all like eccentricity in 'other people' but how many posters would genuinely be comfortable with their 35 year old son turning up everywhere with a Teddy bear in tow?

Yes , nothing wrong with collecting teddies but would you go out to dinner with a couple and post pictures of them. Would you take them into town on the bus to go to Tescos and post pics of them doing their shopping? Just thought it a bit odd but then a lot of hobbies are odd too.

I've got various little furry friends , including teddies, scattered about the house. I don't take them out with me though. But if anyone wants to then that's fine. Odd, but fine.

Prince Andrew and his teddy bear collection

www.womanandhome.com/life/royal-news/prince-andrews-teddy-bears-in-bedroom-left-sarah-ferguson-laughing/

Lovely Ted sits on my bed. Exudes joy of friendship.