Teddilicious Teddies

Toy collecting is no joke-at least not to toy enthusiasts. For many collecting toys is more than a fun hobby, it’s an investment. A lot of older toys are hard to find, especially in good condition. Collectors prefer toys that are in good condition and many are willing to pay top dollar for them. Toys that are still in their original packaging are also of high value. Often toys are handed down from generation to generation. In some cases the recipient of the toy admires it so much they start their own collection.

Toys saved from childhood can result in big pays offs later. One woman who saved her original 1959 Barbie Doll fetched $26,000 for it at auction. Many Barbies will sell for hundreds and thousands of dollars. In recent years avid collectors have began to amass Happy Meal toys. Some will spend up to $5 or $10 on certain Happy Meal toys and toys from the 70s and 80s will sell for far more. Although collector’s edition toys are where the big money is, I still have an affinity for toys with a personal touch, like custom teddy bears.

Toddlers can be a bit picky when it comes to toys and gifts, so next time you have to buy something for a little one, nothing is more a certain to satisfy than stuffed animals. Not only do all children love all varieties of wild creatures, but they also are attracted to the soft plush nature of a memory bear or other stuffed animal.

A versatile gift, plush and stuffed animals can be a toddler’s new companion as they begin developing social skills and improving upon their speech. As their new friend, plush animals are also a great way for toddlers to learn the importance of sharing. Purchasing something like a stuffed animal is more than just buying a toy; it’s watching a child’s heart grow.

As a friend of a new mother, it’s not always easy to set yourself apart from the gift-giving crowd. By the time a baby shower rolls around, a mother has likely received enough sets of baby clothes, candles and soaps to last a lifetime. To select the appropriate gift, a thoughtful guest should try to think like a proud mother.

The best gifts remain relevant years after they are received, and their physical presence should conjure up warm images. Memory bears, or teddy bears made from the fabric of a baby’s receiving blanket, create a lasting reminder that can be brought out time and again. These gifts demonstrate a lot of careful planning, because they require complicity from the husband or someone else with access to the receiving blanket. The unabashed glee on a new mother’s face makes the extra effort worthwhile.

For many women, there’s one article of clothing that just sits in the closet without ever getting worn again, and that’s her wedding dress. It’s impossible to throw it out because of sentimental reasons, but there’s also no possible event that you would ever wear it again. (Unless, of course, you thought to purchase a designer dress that could double as formalwear at some black tie event!) This means many women continually push it out of the way for years and years until they eventually throw it out with the Sunday trash.

But there are some things you can do with the wedding dress other than ignoring it for twenty-five years. For one, you can hold onto it and pass it on to your daughter when she gets married. While some people pass rings or other tokens on as wedding day heirlooms, a dress can be a meaningful addition to your child’s wedding. Or, you can always have a memory bear made from the dress. These bears are custom made, and they incorporate the fabric from important items such as a wedding dress. This way, your dress is out of the closet, but it will always be close to you.