Story Weekend Theme: Stuffed Animals
I get a kick out of coming up with themes for Story Weekend each week. I use whatever pops into my mind and it’s fun to watch you take off with the topic. This week’s theme: stuffed animals. I can’t wait to read your stories.
If you’re new to Story Weekend, here’s how it works: I pick a theme and you share something from your life that relates to that theme, however you interpret it. Thanks to all of you who’ve been contributing. As always, there are a few “rules”:
▪ The story must be true.
▪ Try to keep it under 100 words. Embrace the challenge! That’s about six or seven lines in the comment form. I want others to read your story, and most people tend to skip if it’s too long. I know how tough it is to “write tight” but I hope you’ll accept this as a challenge.
▪ Avoid offensive language.
I’ll start us off with my own stuffed animal story.
I’d lost twenty pounds in four weeks, the result of a unexpected split from my husband of twenty years. When I walked into my sister’s house for the holidays, I was barely functioning. Her husband handed me the ugliest old stuffed bear imaginable. “He’s ugly,” Michael said. “He really needs love.” I named the bear Christmas and carried him around all week as if I were a four-year-old child. I took comfort from his furry, homely warmth, grateful to Michael for knowing exactly what I needed.
His name was Platy. He’s blue and white and fuzzy and strange. If you lift his two foot hulk onto your shoulder, he drapes there like a rug hung out to air. I can’t remember where/when I got him but he’ll stay with me because of the memories. In my senior year in seminary he journeyed with me to my tiny room in New York City. There he sat on my bed as an icon of pastoral care. Everyone who walked in the room picked him up and hugged him and he became their comforter.
In 1997 my husband of 18 years passed away leaving me with 3 teenage children. My youngest is my then 12 year old daughter who was a daddys girl. She missed her dad so much. I bought her this purple dinasour stuffed animal/pillow and told her that she could talk to it, or cry into it and hugg it whenever she needed to. She loved that stuffed dinosour and took it everywhere with her. She felt closer to her dad and shared everything with that dinosour.. In 2009 she went to the hospital to give birth to her first child, and out of her overnight bag she pulled out that purple dinosour! She said, “I never go anywhere without bringing him, its almost like dad being here to comfort me.
When I was 5, we lived with my Gramdma and my Uncle Earl. One night Uncle Earl told me he was going to the Fair, I told him to bring me back a Teddy Bear. The next morning there it was at the end of my bed a black and white bear with a red ribbon, I named it Panda and loved him all the way through school. In my senior year Panda was lumpy and most of his fur was gone, I buried him in the back yard. Panda is gone and Uncle Earl died last year but I was able to tell him and his children the story of how he got me a bear 57 years ago.
As the result of strep throat my daughter Nikki when she was younger ended up in the hospital. This was a very scary time for me as it affected her kidneys and possibly she needing dialysis. I bought her this cute little stuffed dog. (Body is white, tips of ears black, and a pink tipped nose). This dog went with her everywhere and she slept with it every night. This poor thing lost its eyes (I sewed buttons on to replace them), has been vomited on, washed many times, and just looks pretty ragged! At the age of 37 she still has it!
I was thrilled when going through a box of things that survived the fire to find Gizmo, my Furby that looks like Gizmo from the movie Gremlins. After putting in new batteries he still didn’t work well but that is ok. Just seeing him setting of the shelf brings me comfort. He and I made it through 2 fires and is now the only pet I own. I lost my little dog Babygirl this spring and she too made it through the two fires. Can’t ever replace her but Gizmo gives me comfort when I think of her and miss her.
Hi Diane
I had a pre war large Panda Bear. I just called him Bear. He slept with me in the
air raid shelters during world war 11. He seemed to get misplaced during one of the bombing
raids. I think one of my older brothers had something to do with it. They thought it was
time for me to grow up I guess. Some time later it was replaced with a Teddy Bear
I loved that one too, but it wasn’t the same.
Doreen Scott
Ted! Received on the day of my birth; given by my beloved grandfather. A bear of all bears. Ted has endured surgery after surgery on torn (more worn and loved) arms, legs and snout- oh and his now missing eye! Traveled via United Postal Service when I accidently left him home one weekend from college when my mom swaddled him up in a pillowcase and sent him to me. Everyday, for 42 years, Ted (who’s flat as a pancake acting as my pillow for decades) guards the pillows on my bed until it’s time for me to retire each night.
When I was really little my grandparents still had many of my mother’s stuffed animals from when she was a child. They were kept in a blue pail with white flowers. One day I found a stuffed animal lamb and brought it to my mother. She told me his name was Lamb-Lamb and I took him home with me. Shortly after my grandparents got rid of all my mother’s old stuffed animals. Lamb-Lamb was the only one I was able to save and to this day he sits proudly in my bedroom.
I remember as a child my little brother has a stuffed Eyeore, Eyeore had a yarn tail. My brother was in the hospital alot when he was younger, Eyeore made many trips with him. He would carry him by the tail, I hate to think how many new yarn tails that my mom had to replace. Eyeore made great comfort for my brother. Years later we have looked for another Eyeore with a yarn tail but no such luck. Shari
My stuffed animal from childhood was a cow named Clover. I tugged him around everywhere I went, we cuddled up, even if I fell asleep on the couch for a nap I had my Clover cow right with me. It was all great, except I had a habit of sticking one of his horns up my nose. (I have no idea why.) Now twenty plus years later, my siblings still like to tease me about that cow and my interesting habit of sticking his horn up my nose!
My very favorite stuffed animal was an old gray dog, I found outside in a garbage can, one afternoon on my way home from school.
He seemed sad, and so I picked him up and brought him home. I named him Clifford and my Mom put him in the washing machine, so I could sleep with him that very night.
I had him many yrs, and finally when I left for college, I gave him to a little girl who lived on my block and seemed to need a new or rather “old friend to love.
My senior year of college was one of the hardest times of my life (so far). I had sunk into a deep depression and was struggling with an eating disorder. I remember barey leaving my apartment during what was supposed to be the happiest time of my life. I remember my boyfriend ( now fiance) bringing me a big brown floppy teddy bear that would become the most comforting object I had ever owned.
Years later and now a social worker who works with children and eating disorders, I often talk about the importance of having a tangible object for comfort in the recovery proccess. And often at the end of the day, I come home and look at my own brown bear with the floppy ears and I’m reminded not only of where I’ve been but also how far I have come.
I’m touched by how many of us ‘used’ stuffed animals as a ‘tangible object in the recovery process’, as you say here, Liz. Amazing what comfort they can bring.
It was late at night in 1991 and our house was on fire! I ran into the boys bedroom to get them out, OJ was 6 years old and Chip was 11. OJ slept with his favorite stuffed animal named Leonardo, who was a Teenage Mutant Ninga Turtle. As I took the boys safely out the back door of our burning house, OJ kept Leonardo in his arms. Our house was gutted by the fire and the rest of their toys were lost in the fire. Leonardo was a big comfort to OJ for many years and we have him to this day.
Let’s just say turning 40 for me was akin to taking me dragging and screaming to the dentist. I just didn’t want to go there and had not reached my age of maturity yet where I knew that each day I lived and loved was a gift. I petitioned my two teenage children to forget the day because maybe if they could, then I could do the same. Ah, but they were not for moving and as that fateful day dawned, they presented me with a stuffed Tigger, my most beloved character for his goofy nature. He was not just a stuffed Tigger but a Bounching Stuffed Tigger who when you pushed on the top of his head, he remarked with unabashed glee ‘I think I’m going to jump’ and then he did, Bong, Bong, Bong and I laughed until I cried and remarkably found my inner child alive and well .I was carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders at the time as my marriage was unravelling like a sweater caught on a nail and at that time, I didn’t believe in much, least of all myself. I played with Tigger often during my troubled times and brought him to Ireland with me. The side of the box said ‘Not for anyone under the age of 3’ Now there was a number I was willing to accept with reckless abandon. Tigger bounces back from his bad days and has taught me how to do the same. Long Live the Tig.
I am now 28 years old and have spent much of my life in and out of hospital. most visits i was given a stuffed animal of some kind. I now have hundreds and even give some away each year.
The magic of a great grandfather and Santa Bear. I was lucky to have my great grandfather “Pappy” until I was in college. He was a simple man who would give you the shirt of his back, but only after washing it first. Most of the things he got me I don’t remember. However, Santa Bear is with me still today. I was knee high and we went in J.C. Penney for some reason. There was a giant display of bears in Santa caps and suits. I was enthralled with them. I came home with a handheld Santa Bear. He has stayed in my bed ever since, probably at least 30 years. I even have trouble sleeping if I can’t find him.
Diane, you usually choose a subject that floods members with ideas, making it hard to choose just one. This subject has left me speachless. I have been wracking my brain, but have not come up with anything yet. Reading all your guest’s stories have been inspiring but I will need mp
ore time to ponder this writing prompt. You have some very interesting and creative guest. 🙂
Cindy, thanks for stopping by anyway!
We used to have a huge kangroo stuffed animal. My then 7 year old son, made antlers for it, and tied to ropes around it, and sat on it and pretented he was Santa Claus making his Christmas Eve deliveries. Took up a good part of our living room!!!
Her pink elephant ‘pinky’ waited for her on the pillow. As she looked at the bed, trying to figure out the best way to get in, she heard pinky say ‘we’re in this together…you can do it & I’m here to help you’. At 14 she refused help from mom & dad & with courage decided to do it herself. Once she was under the covers with ‘pinky’ snuggled close, they talked about the next 5 years of this journey. She knew she would be ok with ‘pinky’ beside her. 5 years later the steel & leather body brace came off…she had made it, but only with the help of ‘pinky’.
Love these. What a treat to read these stories.
A tearful little girl was promised a special gift if she would allow a splinter imbedded in her foot to be removed; subsequently, White Bear came into her life! Although telltale grey from being loved for 25+ years, he has seen her through good times and bad so he continues to be an honored friend yet today.
In recognition of this, White Bear had the privilege of accompanying his lifelong friend on her wedding trip and was even present to comfort her during the birth of her little girl. White Bear has since remained loyally by his friend’s side throughout her baby’s health issues, for life is a journey and our best friends see us through, furry or not!
When my sisters and I were very young my Dad brought home a new puppy for us. He came from a large litter and was very lonely at night. So my youngest sister (who loved everyone of her stuffed animals) have him a cute yellow stuffed puppy to sleep with. In the morning they were curled up together like best friends.
When my sisters and I were very young my Dad brought home a new puppy for us. He came from a large litter and was very lonely at night. So my youngest sister (who loved everyone of her stuffed animals) gave him a cute yellow stuffed puppy to sleep with. In the morning they were curled up together like best friends.
Puff-a-Lumps were the new it thing and I wanted one but they were hard to find. One day in the grocery store my Mom saw two of them and I grabbed one quick and for the rest of the time in the store, I hugged it and cuddled it. When we got to the register my Mom noticed that it had all sorts of grease marks on it and we went back to get the other one which was pristine. However after trading them over, I felt guilty for teasing the first bear with love to only switch him out for one that was better looking and I was worried about his feelings being hurt. So I went back and traded for the “ugly” bear because I was worried no one would love him. Ah, childhood. 🙂
Corey, you sound like someone I would like very much. 🙂
When I was 3, in hospital for an eye operation, my parents brought me in a cuddly toy, which I loved and hugged for two weeks before the bandages were removed from my eyes – and found a beautiful little black dog, immediately named him BowWow, with a 3-year old’s logic. He has lived with me now for 61 years, in England, Ireland, Canada and retired with me to live in France. I’ll never forget the day when I first saw him, after the first of two successful eye operations, and I’ve loved him ever since!
I’m really touched and amazed at how we hold onto these treasures and how much they come to mean to us!
A boyfriend gave me Snoopy before surgery. Kept him, long after the boyfriend was gone, until my live beagles did Snoopy in, in a fit of jealousy no doubt.