Teddy bears.

A well known house where I used to live, displayed for many years, teddy bears on their balcony. It cheered up many a person daily. Sadly the owners have moved.

Ive never had a teddy bear although I did play with dolls until I was 14.

I'm just going to change the bedding in the spare bedroom with the help of Teddy. We can have a lovely chat while he watches me.

Probably about some of the threads on GN (!) but not this one in case he gets any ideas about going on trips.

My son's girl friend and live in partner rescued filched his very first bear when they came to stay, she told him "it's very sad he's living in a cupboard" he now enjoys a life on the bed in their spare room with her first bear and is altogether much happier I'm told

Teddy bears ....

I have 1 that holds very personal meaning indeed,
had it all my life and when I was a little girl is was visual, came on holidays etc, but now its stuck in a drawer and has been for best part of 45 years.

In my view if someone wants to parade about with a teddy bear and its doing all manner of things then crack on, if its not hurting anyone I can't see the problem, each to their own, I mean surely to goodness we all do something that others would class as weird, strange or way off the radar!

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

Prince Andrew and his teddy bear collection

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

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.

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.

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?

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.

Lovely words

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

I'm in favour of harmless eccentricities.

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?