Hello bear friends,

I am writing an eBook on how people came in contact with their first teddy bear. If you have a unique story I would love to hear it. One of my first bears was when I was just a child. I got one for Christmas and still have it today. My mother saved it for me and gave it to me as an adult. That was the first of what became thousands. You see, I now have a Teddy Bear and Unique Gift Collectors Shop.

I got the idea for my shop when I was going through some very difficult times in my young adulthood. I got a teddy bear for comfort and found I so loved the bear I was inspired to open a shop in a little town in Oregon.

I now write articles about bears and even have a story published in a book called, Workplace Miracles.

Please tell me your story. I would love to hear it and possibly include it in my eBook.

Bear hugs
Patricia Twitchell
The Teddy Bear Lady of Myrtle Creek

Does a polar bear count. I have a great story for that?
chick

Patricia, do you shop at Build a Bear?

Also, if you write up a call for submissions and snet it to dots@boomerwomenspeak.com I'll include it on our Jan/Feb newsletter.

I had a first kitty that was pink. I don't recall my first bear.

First of all Patricia - Welcome! I'm going to guess that you will find lots of teddy bear fans here......

I am 58 years old and still have my first teddy bear (actually he's black and white so I guess he's a Panda). My Uncle and Dad bought him for me on my first birthday. He's not in the best of shape, but has been with me all these years! In spite of the fact that when his eyes fell off at some point and my Mom sewed RED BUTTONS on to replace them (eeeeeek!) he's not in bad shape for an OLD bear. He's propped on top of the art supply armoir here in my studio and keeps me company as I write or paint.

Hello all,

Chickadee - Sure, a Polar Bear story would be fun. Would love to read it.

Dotsie - I have been in Build A Bear. It is awesome. I spend a lot of time in my own shop. Keeps me pretty busy. Thanks for letting me know to include a submisssion. I will send a call for submissions to you to be included in your newsletter.

Patricia - Do you have a picture of your first bear?

Looking forward to some great stories.

Bear Hugs
Patricia
The Teddy Bear Lady of Myrtle Creek

Let me add my welcome too, TeddyBearLady.

I don't remember my childhood teddy very well, although Pam's story brought back hazy memories of a huge panda bear somewhere in my early years.

My REAL teddy bear was sitting on the top shelf of the small toy store where I worked my way through college in the late-1970's. He wasn't the only one of his kind, but this one stood out somehow, perhaps his eyes. I grew so attached to this bear that one evening when I came in to work and he wasn't there, I was devastated. I searched through the entire store...there were other bears just like him, but not THAT one. Finally I found him over in another corner of the store...a child customer had dragged him over there and left him sitting on one of the little stools by the Lego table.

Well I promptly picked that teddy bear up, put him away in the back room on a special employee layaway, even though I couldn't really afford him, and paid for him a little bit at a time over many months. I finally took him home and from that point on, I couldn't sleep without him. That teddy slept beside me (and got used as a pillow on camping and train trips - I couldn't leave him behind!) from about 1977 until 1993 when I (reluctantly I might add) let hubby take his place. But Teddy still sits on my dresser.

One of the first things my Mom bought for hubby for his first Christmas with us was his very own teddy bear, because he had never had one, and was jealous of mine. Now they both sit together on my dresser. I can't imagine ever being able to give my Teddy away...he's soaked up a lot of my tears over the years...he's like a best friend.

[ November 22, 2005, 08:05 PM: Message edited by: Eagle Heart ]

I got my first Teddy when I was only nine years old. I lost track of him somewhere but now have about 15 of them. My ex bought me a bear for every occassion it seems and I have them all.

I love all these teddy bear tales.....I was thinking last night that I should take a photo of my teddy "as he is now" with me holding him...along with the old photo of me at one year old with him "new" and put them photos in a double frame.....might give people a giggle when they see it here in my studio. Talk about "THEN" and "NOW"....we are both a bit worse for the wear I think!

I love teddy bears, so much so that my house is bursting at the seams with teddy bears. My first bear was a small pink and white bear. I slept with him until I was a teenager, but when I went into the Marine Corps, my parents moved and tossed out my bear.

I now have all kinds of bears, including Steiff's, the Coca Cola collectibles, and Winnie the Pooh. Each bear has a story of when I got it, from who, and why. I have many from my children as they grew up and out of the house. I have about 400 in total, but many are packed away as I only have so much space to display them. Even so, my shelves are overflowing and bears are piled several deep.

It is my wish, that when I die, my bears are to be donated to the Naples Teddy Bear Museum, here in Florida.

Patricia,
Welcome to BWS.
I received my first teddy bear when I was 9. It was a Panda and I named him Pooh Bear after Winnie the Pooh. He was with me until I was sixteen and my mom decided I was too old for my stuffed bear and dog.
Not too long ago I found another bear similar to him at a sale. When one of my cousins visited she excitedly said to me "Oh you found Pooh Bear".
Maggie