The Story of the Teddy Bear: Why We’ve Loved Them for More Than 120 Years

There are very few toys that can bring a smile to the face of a child and an adult at the same time.

The teddy bear is one of them.

For more than 120 years, teddy bears have been hugged, treasured, collected, given as gifts and passed from one generation to another. Some have become childhood companions, some family heirlooms and others valuable collectors' items.

But where did the teddy bear come from — and why have we become so attached to these cuddly companions?

Let's take a little journey through teddy bear history.

It all started with a bear hunt

The story of the teddy bear begins in November 1902, with the American President Theodore Roosevelt.

Roosevelt was taking part in a bear-hunting trip in Mississippi. During the hunt, his companions captured a bear and tied it to a tree, giving the President the opportunity to shoot it.

Roosevelt refused.

He regarded shooting a bear that had been captured and restrained as unsporting.

The incident might have disappeared into history were it not for a newspaper cartoonist called Clifford Berryman.

Berryman created a cartoon depicting Roosevelt refusing to shoot the bear. The original bear was relatively large, but in subsequent cartoons Berryman began drawing it as a much smaller, more appealing creature.

The public loved it.

And the teddy bear was about to be born.

How “Teddy” became a bear

Around the same time, a shopkeeper in Brooklyn, New York, called Morris Michtom saw Berryman's cartoon.

Michtom and his wife, Rose, made a stuffed bear inspired by the image and displayed it in their shop.

The bear attracted so much attention that Michtom decided to ask President Roosevelt for permission to use his nickname, “Teddy”, for the toy.

Roosevelt agreed.

And so “Teddy's Bear” was born.

Interestingly, the teddy bear story isn't just an American one.

At almost exactly the same time, in Germany, Richard Steiff was developing a jointed plush bear for the Steiff company.

Steiff's bears were displayed at the Leipzig Toy Fair in 1903. An American buyer saw them and placed a large order.

The teddy bear craze had begun.

Teddy bear mania!

The popularity of teddy bears grew remarkably quickly.

By 1907, Steiff was producing almost 974,000 teddy bears.

That's an extraordinary number when you remember that the teddy bear had barely existed a few years earlier.

And the craze spread around the world.

By around 1910, teddy bear fever had reached England, Russia and Japan as well as America and Germany.

Teddy bears were no longer simply a novelty.

They had become part of popular culture.

Why do we become attached to teddy bears?

This is perhaps the most interesting question.

Why has a relatively simple stuffed toy remained so popular for more than a century?

Part of the answer may be that teddy bears become connected to our memories.

For a young child, a teddy can become a constant companion.

It may be there at bedtime.

It may go on holiday.

It may be taken to school.

It may be hugged when the child is frightened, upset or unwell.

And over time, the bear becomes associated with feelings of comfort, safety and love.

Then something remarkable happens.

The child grows up — but the memories remain.

That is why you can meet adults who still have their childhood teddy bear tucked away somewhere safe.

Some bears become treasured family possessions, passed from parents to children and then perhaps to grandchildren.

Others become valuable collector's pieces, carefully preserved because of their age, rarity or history.

But sometimes the monetary value isn't important at all.

The real value is the story.

Teddy bears cross generations

One of the things that makes teddy bears so special is their ability to connect generations.

A child might simply see a cuddly friend.

A parent might see a reminder of their own childhood.

A grandparent might remember the teddy they took everywhere many decades ago.

And a collector might appreciate the craftsmanship and history of a particular bear.

The same simple object can mean something completely different to different people.

Perhaps that's one reason teddy bears have survived when so many other childhood toys have come and gone.

They are not just things.

They become part of our stories.

From cuddly companion to meaningful gift

At Promise Bears, we love the history of the teddy bear.

But we also believe there is an opportunity to give the traditional teddy bear an additional purpose.

A teddy bear naturally communicates something.

It says:

“I thought about you.”

“I wanted to encourage you.”

“You are special.”

We wanted to build on that idea by creating bears that carry messages of faith and encouragement.

Our Promise Bears have Scripture-based messages focusing on some of the things that matter most in life:

Love.
Hope.
Trust.
Courage.
Peace.
Joy.

The bear provides the hug.

The message provides the reminder.

And sometimes that reminder can become the beginning of a much deeper conversation.

A child may simply receive a teddy bear.

But perhaps they also begin to ask:

What does this message mean?

Why did someone give this to me?

What does the Bible say about hope?

Can I really trust God?

Those conversations can matter.

A little bear. A big promise.

We believe that gifts don't have to be complicated to be meaningful.

Sometimes something as simple as a teddy bear can communicate love, encouragement and hope.

And when that bear carries a message based on God's Word, it can become a small reminder of something much bigger.

That's the heart behind Promise Bears.

Every bear is created to carry a message of faith and encouragement into the hands and hearts of children and families.

Because a teddy bear can be much more than a toy.

It can be a friend.

A memory.

A gift.

A conversation starter.

And, we hope, a little reminder of God's promises.

A little bear. A big promise.

What's your teddy bear story?

Now we'd love to hear from you.

🐻 Do you still have your childhood teddy bear?

Perhaps you know its name, where you got it or how long you've had it.

Maybe your teddy has been passed down through your family.

Or perhaps you are a lifelong teddy bear collector.

Whatever your story, we'd love to hear it.

Because every teddy bear has a story — and sometimes the story is worth more than the bear itself.

Discover Promise Bears

If you'd like to see our collection of Scripture-based teddy bears, visit:

www.PromiseBears.co.uk

Whether you're buying for a child, grandchild, friend or simply someone who needs a little encouragement, we hope you'll find a bear — and a message — that speaks to you.

🐻 Promise Bears — a little bear, a big promise.