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AIBU

Teddy bears.

(106 Posts)
kircubbin2000 Mon 09-May-22 14:29:48

Am I wrong in thinking this is odd and eccentric? I have noticed on a photo site I look at , a lot of people who collect teddy bears,as Prince Andrew does, and who seem to include them in everything they do.They take photos of them on holiday, out for meals, doing the shopping, cooking dinner,taking the bus etc. Sometimes 2 or 3 bears accompany them everywhere,have names and are generally treated as real.

Nannashirlz Thu 12-May-22 12:05:32

If they not harming anyone and it’s what ppl enjoy doing, don’t see why it should bother anyone. As for taking on holiday etc it’s just a bit of fun. Yes I’ve got a few steffi teddies all year bears of my sons birth and my grandkids. Sure you do something that ppl find very odd too unless you perfect.

greenlady102 Thu 12-May-22 11:53:36

I collect bears and allied animals. When I used to travel a lot with my husband, one small bear always travelled with me. His name is "TB" for travelling bear. I really don't think that the people who post those photos on social media actually do take their bears everywhere, they just do it for the social media.

Kartush Thu 12-May-22 11:39:53

My youngest daughter and I (she is 45) went on a road trip years ago and we aquired a teddy we named louie, we took pictures of him on landmarks and at points of interest, now if either of us takes a long holiday louie goes along and is part of the photographic record. Nothing odd just a way of keeping something going that reminds us of a wonderful time we spent together

Grantanow Thu 12-May-22 11:38:22

My mother binned mine at some point. He was homemade by my aunt in 1946 and stuffed with her laddered stockings which she had saved during the war!

Zoejory Thu 12-May-22 11:36:55

Callistemon21

MissAdventure

I lost my only and favourite teddy.
Then I found him, then lost him again.

Perhaps he had his head turned by well travelled bears and went off backpacking or something.

He must have met this Teddy Bear:

I had that book! It had a green cover. Just found it on Google. Oh happy memories! I'd forgotten about him.

I was a bit disappointed with it. though. Not a great story even though the idea was good.

Vintagejazz Thu 12-May-22 11:36:29

I still have my childhood panda.
My aunt loved cuddly toys, especially ones that danced or sang. We would often buy her one as a present and she would love showing them to people or letting young members of the family play with them.

If she'd started bringing them to the supermarket and wheeling them around in a trolley I'd have been worried though.

Quizzer Thu 12-May-22 11:36:10

Our work team had a teddy mascot that used to go on holiday with team members and be photographed. The pics were displayed on the office wall. Few teddies can have travelled so extensively!!

jaylucy Thu 12-May-22 11:33:09

There is quite a few people that collect Charlie Bears - some almost seem to have a compulsion to buy those that are new onto the market (several new collections available each year) and must spend 100s of pounds each year !
If that is something that they enjoy and gives them what they feel as company (by conversing with other collectors often via social media) and comfort, what is wrong with that ?

Aepgirl Thu 12-May-22 11:31:11

There are worse things people can do. As long as they are not hurting anybody else who are we to criticise.
Watch Repair Shop to see the number of adults that have their childhood toys repaired.

Callistemon21 Wed 11-May-22 17:30:02

MissAdventure

I lost my only and favourite teddy.
Then I found him, then lost him again.

Perhaps he had his head turned by well travelled bears and went off backpacking or something.

He must have met this Teddy Bear:

DanniRae Wed 11-May-22 16:24:37

I still love teddy bears and have gained quite a few through the years smile

DanniRae Wed 11-May-22 16:23:40

I still have my teddy bear from when I was born. Sadly whilst I was at school one day our puppy chewed his face half off - my darling mum found some material and mended him as best she could. Now when I look at the repair it touches me that she went to so much trouble (but maybe I was such a nightmare that she knew I would go crazy!! blush

MissAdventure Tue 10-May-22 23:33:50

I lost my only and favourite teddy.
Then I found him, then lost him again.

Perhaps he had his head turned by well travelled bears and went off backpacking or something.

rubysong Tue 10-May-22 23:31:10

My Teddy is full of character. I can't remember not having him so I expect he is at least 70 years old and he may not have been new when I got him. He has grey flannel shorts made by my mother many years ago and now wears spectacles. His head was stitched back on with string following an incident when my brother and sister threw him about to torment me. His hands and feet have been renewed twice. They started off leather, wore out and were replaced with felt by a neighbour, the felt wore out so I replaced it a few years ago with leather from a glove. I don't take him out and about but a few years ago we did take him to the Teddy museum in Dorchester to visit their bears. He is a bit threadbare and had an attack of woodworm in his stuffing which I cured by leaving him for a weekend in the freezer. I had to do that when we were going to be away as I know I couldn't have slept in the house knowing he was in there. He has a special talent which is he can stand upright on his own. He is very special to me and I worry (a bit) about what will become of him when I am gone.

MissAdventure Tue 10-May-22 23:23:17

smile
Glad it's nothing serious.

Catterygirl Tue 10-May-22 23:20:31

Miss Adventure. Totally agree. Managed to get a GP appointment today with a minor complaint and we both agreed I am slightly round the twist as I studied psychiatry and we came to a conclusion. Nothing serious.

MissAdventure Tue 10-May-22 23:06:15

You've all gone stark staring mad! grin

Callistemon21 Tue 10-May-22 22:46:32

Please don't give mine any ideas! ?
He's already traversed the bed in DGD's room and found some friends who were in the basket!

(With the help of DGD I think ?)

Catterygirl Tue 10-May-22 18:00:53

What a lovely thread. I never thought to take Tedward outdoors. If luggage has room he’s coming on my next trip. Instagram will be surprised. I am an arctophile like Giles. Such fun. Can’t wait to go to the teddy museum. I am selling all my stuff on online sites but not the teddies. I am a writer and wrote the history of bears on my blog. Thank you President Roosevelt.

PS. It’s just a bit of fun amongst all the misery.

kircubbin2000 Tue 10-May-22 16:26:11

My friend who runs a cat rescue usually gives the kittens a teddy to comfort them and later take to new home.

Musicgirl Tue 10-May-22 14:28:22

Research has shown that cuddling a teddy bear can help people with depression and anxiety.
I still have my childhood bear. His name is Jonathan Bear but I think he should be renamed Fred Bear now. I bought a Merrythought bear for £2 in a charity shop, Edward, and he sits on my bed.
A friend of ours always brings a teddy bear with him wherever he stays. He is an ex-policeman, over sixty, 6’2” tall and built like the proverbial outhouse. I think many adults find comfort in teddy bears.

Witzend Tue 10-May-22 13:14:36

My Ted (a present for my first birthday) spent about ten years languishing in a drawer, after our last dog chewed most of his face off when she was a pup.

Eventually I dug him out and sent him off to a Teddy Hospital - can’t remember the name I’m afraid. It wasn’t cheap but they did an absolutely wonderful job - I couldn’t have been more delighted.

Oldwoman70 Tue 10-May-22 13:04:32

I have several bears - bought by my late DH for various occasions. The only one I take on holiday is the one given me by a friend who died shortly after. I have photos of the bear in the bar at Raffles Hotel, sitting on the bars of a cell at Alcatraz, riding a trolley car in San Franciso, on Bondi beach and at many other locations

Babs758 Tue 10-May-22 12:49:16

We "bearnapped" our nieces teddy bear and took him on holiday. He went on the plane with us (Virgin Atlantic), drank champagne, went into the cockpit and the crew took pictures of him with the Captain's hat on, he got "drunk" behind various bars and was caught in the minibar trying to drink the minatures. He had a great time.. He got adopted by the staff at the resort who also took him sailing! We posted regular pictures via messenger to my niece so she sent him virtual Asprins etc! The Virgin crew were great when I asked if the bear could go into the Cockpit but I admit blushing when they asked me how old my niece was. At the time she was 25! She had had the bear since since she was born - a present from us...

grumppa Tue 10-May-22 12:38:15

When I was about thirteen I gave mine to the dog, which took great pleasure in chewing it to bits.