| If you ask a child, stuffed animals are | | | | black bear which his hunting party had |
| more than cuddly little pillows with | | | | tied to a tree, on grounds that slaying |
| arms and legs. If you ask a child, | | | | a bound quarry would be unsportsmanlike. |
| that's not a stuffed animal, that's | | | | Originally named "Teddy's Bear", the |
| Kimbo the lion, and he's allergic to | | | | animal has been immortalized as a |
| milk, even though he loves ice cream. To | | | | stuffed animal and attributed with a |
| an imaginative child, a stuffed animal | | | | variety of personalities and histories |
| is more than something to cuddle, it's | | | | by just as many children (and even |
| something to love and endear with a | | | | several grown up bear collectors). |
| unique personality and create a whole | | | | After a certain age, most children seem |
| history for, something to go on | | | | to lose interest in their stuffed |
| adventures with. | | | | animals. The secret we all keep is that |
| As we've seen, this is a popular theme | | | | these creatures are immensely important |
| for stories about children. Of course, | | | | to us, and even when your kids become |
| there's Calvin and Hobbes, about the | | | | too old to receive stuffed animals as |
| rambunctious six year old with a pet | | | | gifts, very few young teenagers would be |
| tiger. On first reading, the premise | | | | willing to part with the treasured |
| seems to be that Hobbes is a stuffed | | | | friends they kept as small children. |
| tiger, but a real tiger in Calvin's | | | | Even into adulthood, few people are |
| imagination. To any long time reader, it | | | | willing to completely part with |
| becomes apparent that this is not the | | | | treasured stuffed animals. |
| case. Hobbes is a real tiger, except for | | | | Perhaps one thing that makes stuffed |
| when grownups are seeing him. This is a | | | | animals so special is that, unlike |
| pretty accurate representation. It's not | | | | action figures and such, which come |
| that stuffed animals aren't real, it's | | | | pre-packaged with their own character |
| that nobody but their owners can see how | | | | and stories, a new stuffed animal is |
| real they are. | | | | usually anonymous and without a story |
| An earlier example is, of course, Winnie | | | | upon arrival. It becomes almost an |
| the Pooh. Christopher Robin, the only | | | | imperative responsibility for a child to |
| human character we see in A.A. Milne's | | | | give their new friend an identity. |
| original Winnie the Pooh books, has | | | | At the right age, a child will develop a |
| created not only a personality for each | | | | real, honest bond with a stuffed animal. |
| of his treasured stuffed friends, but an | | | | When we're grown up, people see this |
| entire world for them to inhabit, | | | | kind of thing as eccentric or crazy, but |
| showing how rich a child's imagination | | | | for children, it's a completely healthy |
| can be when creating a dramatis personae | | | | way to empower one's imagination, to |
| and a story for their stuffed animals. | | | | learn about human interaction, and to |
| It may not have been the original | | | | find comfort and friendship where most |
| stuffed animal, but the Teddy Bear is | | | | people see buttons and stuffing. |
| probably the one seen as the most iconic | | | | au is a leading Australian online toy |
| (as well as being Winnie the Pooh's | | | | store. Visit au for a wide selection of |
| particular breed). As most of us know, | | | | Kids Toys at discounted prices. To save |
| the Teddy Bear was named for Theodore | | | | money on your next purchase, please |
| Roosevelt, inspired by an incident | | | | visit Toys. |
| wherein Roosevelt had refused to kill a | | | | |