The Great Teddy Bear Collection

A number of years ago while on a shopping excursion with my family (mom, sisters, aunts, cousins, nieces about 20 of them) I came across the most adorable little Teddy Bear . Being a new grandparent back then I couldn't resist the impulse to buy this teddy bear.

Now knowing me as well as these people do they knew that my typical spending habits did not usually include purchases like this. I tend to be a little frugal when it comes to money. The shopping trips are more social than shopping and I can easily spend an entire day walking around the malls and outlet stores and never spend a dime. My wonderful family took this as a sign. They had finally found something that I liked well enough to buy even though it served no no real purpose.

Big Teddy Bears, Little Teddy Bears, Cute Teddy Bears, Ugly Teddy Bears, Stuffed Teddy Bears, wooden Teddy Bears, Plush Teddy Bears, Birthday Teddy Bears.

                                   Bears Bears Bears!

Collectible Bears are great! Bearington Bears, Boyds Bears, and all the other Teddy Bear makers have their own ideas about what a great Teddy Bear really is. These manufacturers all manage to put a truly unique spin on their bears. There are a number of collectors that can tell you at a glance not only who made your teddy bear but when and what it's name is. I am not that kind of collector. As a matter of fact I never intended to be a collector at all. I own approximately 1000 Teddy Bears and aside from the original one I purchased myself thirteen years ago I have not spent a dime on the collection.

My Teddy Bear collection has become a family project over the years. For the last thirteen years every gift I have received has been some type of Teddy Bear. My husband says they are out of control but every birthday, anniversary, and Christmas he adds more bears to the collection. For about the first ten years I was receiving personalized and custom made bears from everyone. The fact that Boyds flagship store "Boyds Bear Country" is about ten miles from where I live and the fact that "Boyds Bear Country" features among other great things the "Boyds Super Duper Bear Factory" made it real easy for friends and family to contribute to my collection.

After ten years or so I realized that if I did not find away to control the expansion of my Teddy Bear collection that I would soon be out of space. So as kindly as I could I asked each gift giver to please restrict the gifts to lonely bears.

So what is a "Lonely Bear?"

A lonely bear is the Teddy Bear you find sitting all by itself at the flee market or yard sale. It is a bear that someone once loved but for whatever reason has now ended up by itself without the companionship of other bears. It can be tattered or torn, (I have a Bear Hospital) or in pristine condition it does not matter. It can be brand new as long as he\she is found totally by itself.

With the Lonely Bear rule firmly in place I have discovered that I enjoy my collection much more. They are no longer things sitting on the shelves. I enjoy the time I spend mending ad fixing them. I love the fact that these once cherished toys find there way to me where they can be loved again.

I adopt repair and rejuvenate roughly twenty five bears a year and donate many of them to the local daycare centers and hospitals. My Teddy Bear collection now has given me something I enjoy doing and a way to help the children of my community.