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Personalised Teddy Bears UK:
Have you ever received a customised bear as a birthday, Valentine’s, or anniversary gift? Or as a going-away present? Did you hang onto that bear forever after? Do you still carry it around with you, perhaps for good luck, or to tuck in with you at night?
If the answer is yes, you’re not alone—personalised teddy bears UK fans are everywhere, according to a 2012 study conducted by the hotel chain Travelodge. Those running the hotel were perplexed by the amount of plush toys they were finding accidentally left behind in their hotel rooms after their guests had departed, when the vast majority of said guests were adults, and so launched a full investigation into the matter. They found that an incredible 35 percent of British adults sleep with a teddy bear (and that’s just the amount that will openly admit it—the real figure may be still higher), meaning that personalised teddy bears UK collectors and enthusiasts may be among the most plentiful on the planet.
The Travelodge study also found that many people in the UK (and this no doubt applies elsewhere as well) go through life with special attachments to comforting objects and brands that represent various “firsts” in their lives, such as a first piece of real jewellery, early birthday cards, a particular brand of biscuits they first had at a grandparent’s house, etc.
Why Bears are so Popular with Adults in the UK
According to psychologists, objects like a special bear, a blanket, or a binky are what is known as “transitional objects”, as they help toddlers begin to transition away from the comfort of being constantly close to a parent, marking their first steps towards adult independence. As such, teddy bears remind us of parental love and protection and bring with them a feeling of comfort and security which we benefit from long into adulthood. This is why so many adult people give the gift of personalised teddy bears (in the UK and elsewhere) on holidays very strongly associated with love, such as Valentine’s day.
Why personalised teddy bears UK fans are so plentiful vs. other places in the world is not fully understood, but the British love of bears can most likely be attributed to the high levels of stress hormones that come with living in a country notorious for its fast pace of life, competitive workplaces, and overpopulation issues. Teddy bears have been proven to very effectively combat stress, to the point where simply having a bear around may lower one’s blood pressure, fighting off hypertension and heart disease while also combatting depression and loneliness.
Contrary to popular belief, this reliance on teddy bears (and other comfort objects) does not signify “weakness” in people in the UK (or anywhere else, for that matter); those who allow themselves to retain an attachment to comfort objects have been shown to be more secure, confident, and assertive in their day to day lives than those who eschew them.
So, if you have a special bear that follows you to bed every night, don’t worry—you’re doing your mind and body a favour, and you are certainly in good company.
