THE TEDDY BEAR made its mark as a Christmas novelty 90 years ago and is now considered the most popular stuffed toy in the world.
It takes its name from United States President Theodore 'Teddy' Roosevelt who, in 1902, refused to shoot a black bear tied (probably by a sycophant) to a tree during one of his hunting trips.
Newspapers picked up the story, and the media hype that followed inspired toy manufacturers in America and Europe to create a stuffed toy named 'Teddy' with the president's permission.
Adults and children alike find a teddy bear not just achingly cute and cuddly but comforting. Some RAF pilots in the last war reportedly carried their own teddies, complete with bows and scarves, in the cockpit.
True, the bedroom of nearly every child has a stuffed bear, and he is likely to cuddle itthreadbare, all through his teens. He never seems bored watching Baloo, Little Bear, Yogi, Care Bears and Winnie the Pooh.
References to the bear can be found in almost all forms of media. A huge animal that can weigh up to 1,700 pounds, with a body length of about eight feet, the bear makes a powerful image.