Did you know that more than half of adults keep their favorite teddy bear? Build-A-Bear issued a survey for the National Teddy Bear Day celebrations.
And the company is also preparing a special celebration for all fans of teddy bears and stuffed animals. The National Teddy Bear Day is on Saturday, September 9.
On this day and the day before, Build-A-Bear Workshops will offer an exclusive, limited edition National Teddy Bear Day bear. It will cost $5.50 plus taxes. Any guest will be able to purchase up to 5 of these special bears while supplies last.
The online store of Build-A-Bear will also have a special offer. It’s the Traditional Cocoa Bear for $10.50. In honor of National Teddy Bear Day and the brand’s 20th birthday, which will be officially celebrated in October, Build-A-Bear Foundation is donating 20,000 furry friends to Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the company said.
The Foundation will also donate 1,000 furry friends to Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada, as well as 6,000 furry friends to Childhood First and other children’s charities in the United Kingdom. Throughout the National Teddy Bear Day celebration on Sept. 8 and 9, Guests of U.S. Build-A-Bear Workshop stores can also donate to Boys & Girls Clubs of America at checkout.
The survey by Atomik Research was commissioned by Build-A-Bear. It shows that 56% of respondents own or held onto their favorite stuffed animal for more than two decades. More than 4 in our case. Additionally, more than 72% say they plan to keep their stuffed animal forever.
40% say they still sleep with their stuffed animal by their side. 30% say they feel comfort when they see or think about a childhood stuffed animal. 22% also remember the person who gave them the plushie and 19% remember the exact stuffie’s appearance. Adults living in the southern United States are most likely to have a stuffed animal (75%), followed by residents of the Midwest (72%) and Northeast (70%).
Build-A-Bear shared the survey results with clinical psychologist and New York Times bestselling author Dr. Shefali Tsabary to learn more about the bond many adults have with items like teddy bears.
“As children develop independence from their parents, they still yearn for a secure bond with something. In many cases, children turned to stuffed animals, including teddy bears, to help them through this transition,” said Dr. Shefali Tsabary. “As we enter adulthood and leave home for the first time, it’s no surprise that the same object re-enters our life, providing comfort while also helping us work through feelings of uncertainty as we transition into a new life stage.”
In short, we all love stuffed animals. And that’s not going to change anytime soon.
