National American Teddy Bear Day – November 14, 2026

History of National American Teddy Bear Day

Do you remember the name of your teddy bear when you were young? Today, we celebrate them, whether you gave them away, stashed them in the attic or still sleep with them.

National American Teddy Bear Day cannot be traced, however, teddy bears can. The first stuffed bear was made by Margarete Steiff for her nephew after they visited a zoo in 1903. The bear toys were named Teddy Bears by Morris Michtom, after he was inspired by a caricature drawn of President Theodore Roosevelt refusing to shoot a bear on a hunting trip in Mississippi on November 14,1902. He sought permission to use his name for the bears and went on to make a lot of teddy bears. Since then, teddy bears have been a part of many childhoods.

Teddy bears were originally made with mohair fur. Mohair is obtained from goats, combed, woven, and trimmed to form a fur covering for the bears. Now, teddy bears are commonly made with velour, satin, denim, and synthetic fur.

Art pieces have been made featuring teddy bears. In 1907, a composer, John Walter Bratton, wrote an instrumental titled ”The Teddy Bears’ Picnic”. Lyrics were added later in 1932 by Jimmy Kennedy. A children’s book series based on bears was written by Seymore Eaton, an American educator. Teddy bears appeared on TV in the 1990s. There was Teddy Ruxpin, Super Ted, and Winnie the Pooh.

Teddy bears have emotional and mental effects on kids. The calming effects that teddy bears have on children led to the introduction of the Teddy Bear Corps program, where police officers, fire, and medical officials give a distressed child a teddy bear in a time of crisis.

Teddy bears are a symbol of love, care, and hugs. They are shared as gifts to show care and love, especially on birthdays and Valentine’s Day.