Teddy Bears

“Long before I grew up, my Teddy Bear taught me what love really meant: being there when you’re needed.” -Jim Nelson
 
Bernie: What do Teddy Bears do when it rains?
Barney: They get wet.

The history of Teddy Bears is believed to have started in about 1902 or shortly thereafter, when the first stuffed Teddy Bears were produced by the Ideal Novelty & Toy Company in America and also by the Steiff Company in Germany. The origin of the name ‘Teddy Bear’ is claimed to be derived from the twenty-sixth American President, Theodore ‘Teddy’ Roosevelt (1858 - 1919; in office 1901 - 1909). His nickname was ‘Teddy,’ so technically, the ‘Teddy Bear’ would be his namesake.
 
Tad: What’s the difference between Teddy Bears and apples?
Tod: Teddy Bears don’t grow on trees.
 
“A bear knows all your secrets - and keeps them.” -Rosanne Brown
 
Two Little Teddy Bears
 
Two little Teddy Bears
     Big brown eyes
Fluffy little Teddy Bears
     Making mud pies
Muddy little paws, dirty little feet
     Making mud pies is a very special treat
Pop them in the oven
     Bake them in the oven
Bake them till they’re brown
     Our mud pies are the best in town
Ask all the other Bears
     Won’t you come to tea
To eat the finest mud pies
     In the whole country?
 
by Author Unknown
 
Melissa: What did the Teddy Bear say when he was offered a second helping?
Chrissy: “No thanks; I’m already stuffed!”

​Once upon a time there were three bears . . . three Teddy Bears, that is . . .
 
“My Teddy was there when I had no friends to play with, no one to talk to, no one to share my little woes or my big joys. He looked constant and was constant. He never aged, no matter how tattered he became. His smell was the smell of my years as a boy, and he alone knew everything. Now, when I see him on the shelf, he is like my flesh and my soul - older, worn, but still full of happiness.” -Robert Kunciov

Theodore: How do Teddy Bears keep their houses cool in Summer?
Ted: They use bear-conditioning.

“It is astonishing, really, how many thoroughly mature, well-adjusted grown-ups harbor a Teddy Bear - which is perhaps why they are thoroughly mature and well-adjusted.” -Joseph Lempa
 
“Teddy Bears live more commonly in the arms of children than in the woods.” -Author Unknown
 
Ellie: What do you call a Teddy Bear at the North Pole?
Allie: Lost!
 
Dutch police cars carry toy Teddy Bears in case something troubling happens to a child.
 
Theo: How do Teddy Bears send their letters?
Teddy: By bear mail, of course!
 
Shakespeare pre-dated the Teddy Bear, but he captured the companionship and bond we share with our bears when he wrote: “He was my friend, faithful, and just to me . . .” -William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)
 
“A bear remains a bear - even when most of him has fallen off or worn away.” -Charlotte Gray
 
“After people and dolls, Teddy Bears are the third most likely guests to be invited to tea parties.” -Author Unknown

​“The gift of a Teddy Bear is good for boys and girls of nearly any age, as well as men and women; they are acceptable in all seasons and on all holidays; they are found in homes, hospitals, and schools. They bring warmth and a sense of belonging to new arrivals in orphanages, foster homes, and emergency shelters. It is not unknown for them to be given by police officers, firefighters, paramedics, soldiers, and rescuers, to persons in distress. As a practical matter, they take up little space, are easily packed and carried, and can double as a pillow for one’s head. They are never out-of-date. In a store somewhere is a Teddy Bear or perhaps a few dozen, waiting to be picked up and presented by you as a welcome gift to someone who is certain to be appreciative.” -David Hugh Beaumont (born 1966)
 
“A bedroom without a Teddy is like a face without a smile.” -Gil Davies
 
“The world is divided into two nations: those with Teddy bears, those without. Each thinks the other is odd.” -Jenny De Vries
 
“There’s no bear like an old bear.” -Samantha Armstrong
 
Teddy Bear
 
Teddy was under the lilac bush -
when the snow went away we found him there.
And one of his shoebutton eyes was lost
and the shine was gone from his yellow hair.
But Teddy blinked with his last black eye
and said that he really didn’t care
(except that his cave was a trifle cold)
as long as we came and found him there.
And he said with a smile on his white yarn mouth
that Real bears slept in a cave or lair
All through the Winter . . . and if they could,
well then, why couldn’t a Teddy Bear?
 
by Aileen Fisher (Aileen Lucia Fisher (1906 - 2002))

​“One never quite gets over a lost bear.” -Jane Swan
 
“Whoever said, ‘Diamonds are a girl’s best friend,’ would retract that statement after seeing the sparkle in a Teddy’s eyes.” -Lana T. Zeis
 
“Now that I’m all grown up, I can buy any old Teddy Bear I want - except the old Teddy Bear I want.” -William Sternman
 
Nellie: Why couldn’t the Teddy Bear finish his lunch?
Nettie: Because he was stuffed!
 
“There’s just something about a Teddy Bear that’s impossible to explain. When you hold one in your arms, you get a feeling of love, comfort, and security. It’s almost supernatural.” -James Ownby
 
“A Teddy Bear does not depend upon mechanics to give him the semblance of life. He is loved - and therefore he lives.” -Pat Brown
 
Fuzzy: How do you start a Teddy Bear race?
Wuzzy: Teddy, set, go!

“All bears merit a dignified old age.” -Peter Gray

Vincent: What is the difference between a Teddy Bear and a turkey?
Sylvia: If you don’t know, maybe you shouldn’t cook any holiday dinners!

“A bear grows more alive with age. No one with an ounce of sensitivity could ever consign a bear to the dustbin.” -Johnnie Hague

Tricia: What kind of umbrella does a Teddy Bear carry in the rain?
Beatrice: A wet one!
 
“Bears are just about the only toy that can lose just about everything and still maintain their dignity and worth.” -Samantha Armstrong

“A Teddy Bear’s virtue is that he cannot love himself . . . only others.” -Ted Menten

“Anyone who has looked a Teddy Bear in the face will recognize the friendly twinkle in his knowing look.” -Harold Nadolny

​Your Tiny Teddy Bear
 
I will be your tiny Teddy Bear,
     And when you need comforting, I will be there!
I’m huggable, lovable, and portable,
     And for the value I bring, I’m quite affordable!
I am cushiony soft and squeezable,
     And I need no batteries, and I am hand-washable!
I am waiting for you, in a shop all alone,
     And now . . . please pick me up and take me home!
 
by David Hugh Beaumont (born 1966)
 
Teddy Bears are one of the most popular gifts to present at baby showers and to newborn babies.
 
“You really don’t have to be young to find a friend in a Teddy Bear.” -Rachel Newman

Threadbare Ted
 
Ted the threadbare Teddy Bear
Thought at first he was of no use and later
Discovered he had a flare for being there
Which is mostly all that is required
In times of need.
 
by David Hugh Beaumont (born 1966)
 
For just the right Teddy Bear, visit Vermont Teddy Bears at https://www.VermontTeddyBear.com/ and be sure to let them know you found out about them from www.MakeFunOfLife.net.

Geoffrey: Why did Teddy Bear not eat dessert?
George: Because he was already stuffed.
 
“Once a bear has been loved by a human being, its expression is forever marked.” -Jama Kim Rattigan
 
“A Teddy Bear is your childhood wrapped up in faded yellow fur, and as such, he commands affection long after he is outgrown.” -Pat Brown

This is MFOL! . . . we cannot wait to see what is coming next . . .