Ask almost anyone and a favourite childhood comfort and friend was often the humble teddy bear. I’m sure many could still name their bear and a few might even still have them, or perhaps have handed them down to younger generations. I still have mine, a small caramel and careworn bear with the very original name of ‘Beara’. Sure, he might have some fur missing as well as one eye but he’s still very special for the simple reason that he’s my bear. At one stage in my life we were inseparable, partners in crime but also nap-time buddies and a companion to share stories and secrets with.

It’s a classic image, a young toddler dragging their beloved teddy bear with them wherever they go. Perhaps one of the most famous tales of a boy and his bear is Christopher Robin and his Pooh Bear. Theirs is a friendship like no other, Pooh is the loveable, optimistic but slightly silly friend to a young boy named Christopher Robin. But he is not alone in his strong bond with his bear. Big Bird from Sesame Street is never without Radar, his very well loved teddy and an enduring image for Disney fans is of Micheal from Peter Pan dragging his faithful teddy bear with him on his adventures in Neverland.

However, teddy bears aren’t necessarily resigned to childhood companionship, there are other incidences of teddy bears playing a role in the comfort of adults. In 1914, the generation that had grown up hugging and cuddling their teddy bears were now headed to fight in World War I. Teddy bears became a symbol for hope, innocence, for comfort and a way to remember home and what they were fighting for. Sweethearts often exchanged bears as a way to keep that connection alive and some regiments often had teddy bear mascots dressed in a soldiers uniform. Of course each country had their favourite brand or type, Steiff was of course favoured by the German soldiers and Australian soldiers had their own unique version of a stuffed Kangaroo. Some of the soldiers companion teddy bears still survive today and hold a special place with family members the bears have been passed down to or collectors who wish to preserve them and their stories.

At some point in our lives, our teddy bears get left behind as we grow and become independent. We shake off the innocence of childhood and embrace the realities of adulthood, it’s actually quite sad to think of all those beloved teddy bears being left behind but I think the most important part is the memories. The feeling of having something to snuggle with, hold and cuddle when you were feeling happy, sad, frightened or sleepy is a special feeling and not one to be soon forgotten. This is evidenced in a quote by A.A Milne, the author of Winnie The Pooh with Pooh telling his best friend Christopher Robin ‘The most important thing is even if we are apart…I’ll always be with you’. Of course, many childhood teddy bears go on to be new companions for the next generation. I’ve heard of many people handing down their teddy bears to their children. Steiff take so much care when creating their bears because they are meant to be your special friend and companion forever, Steiff use the best materials and much of the work is still handmade because they want you to be able to pass on your bear when you feel that it could be loved and cherished again from childhood to adulthood. They don’t make bears to simply last a season or a few years, they aren’t made depending on fads or fashion, they are simply made to last forever and be there for us whenever we need a friend.