Cultural Significance
Young or old, male or female we all have memories of a cherished toy from our youth. Most likely, this toy was a stuffed teddy bear. Teddy bears have been a large part of childhood since 1902, when they were first invented. Most of us can't imagine our childhoods without these special creatures. As children, we would treat the bears as members of the family, introducing them to other toys, clothing them, playing with them, and caring for them when they got sick. Even as adults, the old, faded bear holds a special place in our hearts. We see them and remember all the good times we had playing as kids.
As kids, we would rush to cut the tags off as soon as we got home with our new friend. Now, although we get just as excited by them, the bears are things to be displayed on shelves, but thye still inspire joy. Teddy bears especially easy to spot around holidays. Bears wearing costumes are sold around the time of Halloween, while pilgrim hats and feathers adorn the bears around Thanksgiving. Bears dressed in Santa costumes, or with red and green sweaters can be found in every department and grocery store from November through the end of December. Around New Year's, bears can be found with party hats and confetti, ready to celebrate. At Valentine's Day, pink and red bears are bought by the hundreds to be given as gifts to loved ones. Bears can be found colored green and holding shamrocksfor St. Patrick's Day, or holding baskets of eggs for Easter. Graduation bears wearing robes and holding diplomas are everywhere in June. Bears can adapt to every situation, which is one reason why they are so popular. Americans spend about 411 billion dollars each year on teddy bears. Other reasons include their soft, friendly textures and their bright, inqusitive eyes.