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Teddy Bear Day
Sep 9
Other Scottish Country Dances for this Day
Today's Musings, History & Folklore
"Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn around,
Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the ground,
Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn out the lights,
Teddy bear, teddy bear, say “good night”.
~ Traditional Jump Rope Rhyme
Did you have a teddy bear when you were little? Maybe you had more than one, like Jack, the proud teddy bear owner to whom this dance is dedicated. If so, you’re in good company! The teddy bear, famously named after President Theodore Roosevelt following a 1902 hunting trip where he refused to shoot a bear cub, has since become a universal symbol of comfort and companionship. Teddy bears are the perfect stuffed animal for full Highland dress in the tartan of your choice and can be accessorized with jabots, bagpipes, sporrans to match your best kit. So, as you dance this sprightly jig with a double figure eight, imagine the first figure as tying a big bow on your favorite teddy bear! And bring your well dressed bear to class on Teddy Bear Day! He'll be sure to catch the glad eye and a bevy of admirers! 🎀 🧸 🧸 🧸
Jack's Teddy Bears
Initially a US specific holiday, this day is increasingly celebrated by bear lovers across the world. Teddy bears are named after US President Theodore"Teddy" Roosevelt. The name came about during a 1902 hunting expedition in Mississippi after Roosevelt declined to shoot a black bear.
The incident was illustrated in a newspaper cartoon entitled "Drawing the Line" - which also referred to the political situation at the time. An enterprising New York toymaker used this story as an opportunity and brought out a cute stuffed bear named"Teddy's Bear." Simultaneously and independently, the Steiff firm in Germany also produced a stuffed bear.
Early teddy bears were made to look like real bears, with extended snouts and beady eyes. Today, there are teddy bears representing different species of bear, such as polar bears and grizzly bears, as well as pandas.
On April Fools' Day 1972, issue 90 of The Veterinary Record published a paper on the diseases of Brunus edwardii detailing common afflictions of teddy bears.
Today you can choose from bears of all kinds including dressed bears! There are bears in all possible styles of Scottish dress and choices of tartan - piper bears, highlander bears, historic bears ... .
There are even Outlander Bears representing the main characters in the romantic novel clad in authentic Outlander tartan!
For information about Teddy Bear Museums throughout the world, click the Claire and Jamie Outlander Bears!
Click the dance cribs or description below to link to a printable version of the dance!
