WTBD: Hurrah for the Teddy!

Today is World Teddy Bear Day! So let's find out why these fluffy toys make for good companions and better memories...
When President Theodore Roosevelt refused to shoot a small bear, during a hunting trip in the 1900s, he had no clue what he was lending his name to.
Shortly after a local newspaper made a caricature of the then President and the bear, a toy company mopped up the event and sought permission to call their stuffed animals ���Teddy Bears���.And thus began the journey of these furry little friends, who are now, one of the most widely cherished stuffed toys of all time.
Surely, there isn���t even one of us, who hasn���t grown up without a special memory attached to teddy bears. These cuddly, oh-so-cute stuffed toys have long stood the test of time, battling the likes of GI Joes, Barbie dolls and new-age motor cars, proving to be the most adorable companions for kids and adults worldwide.
So, what is it about a teddy bear that make us feel special? ���It���s a very simple theory really,��� starts off psychologist Caroline Jacob. ���Unlike action figures, Barbie dolls or video games, which are constantly being updated and upgraded, a teddy bear is just one big, fluffy ball of reassurance. As most children spend a lot of time with their teddy bears, they soon turn into intimate companions. They feel a sense of security when they are around, because they are comforting. It���s just like having a confidante with whom you can share your joy and happiness. A child considers a teddy bear a close friend, because, in most cases, it is the first toy that a child plays with.���
For actress Keerthi Chawla, the honey coloured teddy bear her parents gifted her when she was a kid, was till recently, one of her most cherished treasures. ���When my dad gave me the bear, I was so excited and happy, that I would take it everywhere. I grew very fond of it and used to have it by my bedside for the longest time. Even if I didn���t hug my parents or siblings good night, my teddy used to be showered with all the love and attention. I don���t think anybody grows out of the stage of playing with teddy bears. At the end of the day, all of us are children at heart.���
Agreeing with the actress and adding another dimension of her own is Dr Anitha Sanal, who is still so crazy about her teddy bear, that she refused to give up the jumbo doll even when she was shifting cities. ���The first thing I got shipped was my teddy bear. It���s a huge doll, about 5 ft in height and 3 ft in width. It���s a happy memory from my college and hostel days and hence I hold it very close to my heart.���
And shirking the gender-bender about teddies being just for girls is funny man Cary Edwards who says the teddy bear is probably the world���s first unisex children���s toy. ���The great thing about teddy bears is that they can become whatever you want them to. It���s the only toy that children of both sexes play with, without the feeling of overstepping a boundary. While the girls love to molly coddle and mother teddy bears, boys like to jump on them and wrestle with them. Do what you want with it, but at the end of the day, they are the best childhood companions ever,��� he concludes on a cheerful note.