I have an Obsession with Cuddly Toys

My collection of cuddly toys

I have an obsession with cuddly toys and I always have done, for as long as I can remember. 

I remember being quite young, maybe about 3 years old and having two pink teddy bears called Pinky and Perky (no idea where those names came from). I ended up loosing them in an amusement arcade. I was gutted. Then on my fourth birthday, I got given a brown teddy bear puppet called Bobby. Bobby quickly became my favourite teddy bear. He went absolutely everywhere with me; school, bed, friend's houses and holidays. I nearly lost him in Primark once but luckily my uncle was a security guard there at the time and found him for me. I still have Bobby bear but he's currently in storage. 

Me and my brother Adrian and Bobby bear

Over the years, many cuddly toys have been in my life. Some were gifts, others were won in teddy bear machines (I was addicted to teddy bear machines) and some I purchased myself. I felt that Bobby bear was getting too old and fragile to carry around so new stuffed animals took over. Many of them, I still have but they are currently packed away in the attic at my Dad's house as we have no room for them. (see photo at beginning).

In 2003, when I was 15 years old and off school for half term on Valentine's Day, I got a new furry friend who would become my best friend. My Mum bought me a stuffed brown puppy which had a red heart in it's mouth from my Uncle's shop. Mum slipped into my room while I was sleeping and set the dog on the bed. Once she left, I jumped up to meet my new friend and named her Molly. Molly quickly became my new furry best friend. She was there for me through some of the darkest and hardest times in my teen years and still is now, 17 years later. Molly is part of a very important group of furry friends that I call The Furries. 

 Molly Pup

Two years later in 2005 while on a shopping trip, Molly got a new pup friend, in the form of Lucy, a white puppy that I purchased in a card shop. Molly and Lucy went on various adventures with me, including to Paris and Rome. They even came with me when I went to stay at a friend's house. 

Lucy Pup

In 2009, there was another new addition to my furry friends.I won a yellow monkey with big pink eyes in a teddy machine in an amusement arcade. I named her Presley (don't even know where I got that name from). Presley was so cute and reminded me of the Yoohoo cuddly toys with the big eyes. Presley accompanied Molly and Lucy on many adventures with me. 

Presley monkey heading off on an adventure.

My Mum treated me to my first ever build a bear for my birthday. I named her Sophie. My Mum used to joke that Presley needed glasses for her big eyes so I got my build a bear a pair. I ended up getting two more build a bears which I named Liam and Alice. This lead to me getting another new addition to my group, a build a bear small fry rabbit which I called Bella in 2012. 

 
Alice, Liam, Sophie, Presley, Molly, Lucy and Bella

In 2015, I was shopping with my Mum, Sister and niece, Zoe when we went into a charity shop. There was a huge basket of cuddly toys which Zoe began looking through and found a yellow monkey just like Presley, but only with yellow eyes. I just had to buy her at only £1. I named her Leah. My furry friends just kept growing. Leah and Presley went on several adventures with me just like Molly and Lucy. They got to go to Disneyland Paris with me twice.

Presley and Leah in Disneyland Paris

Just when I thought I didn't need anymore cuddly toys, I thought wrong. I started a new job in 2018 and we got a collection of very cute cosy warmer cuddly toys in. They smelt of lavender and you put them in the microwave to heat them up. I fell in love with the sheep ones. I couldn't help but admire them every time I walked past them in work. I caved and ended up purchasing one of the sheep which I called Sarah. I would never, ever put her into the microwave though as it would be very mean.

 
Sarah the lamb

Why are cuddly toys important to me?
For as long as I can remember, my teddy bears have been my best friends. They've never let me down when I needed a friend the most. When I was really struggling with my mental health, they helped me through my darkest days, when I felt like every human in my life hated me. I could tell them absolutely everything, including my fears, worries and secrets and I wouldn't have to worry about them telling anyone else. I'd hug them tight when I was worried, scared, sad or couldn't sleep at night. When I found out my Mum had collapsed while grocery shopping in Tescos, I slipped Presley into my handbag for moral support. My Mum died that day and I couldn't exactly whip Presley out in the middle of Tescos but I knew she was there. As soon as I got home that day, I raced upstairs to my room and hugged my furry friends tightly as I sobbed. When my house became busy over the next few days with visitors, I would slip away to my room and spend half an hour hugging my furry friends. When Mum came back home, I'd even take them in to see her with me. This might sound sad but it felt like they were being supportive of me at one of the worst times in my life. 

My furry friends helped me through so many dark times and meltdowns, especially after the death of my Mum and my brother's cancer diagnosis. When I started dating Simon, they'd come with me on my drive to Simon's house which was nearly an hour away. I used to be a very nervous driver so it felt like I had some company on my journeys. They also went on many holidays with me and trips away. I couldn't take all of them at once though, so I'd take two of them instead. 

When Simon and I moved in together, my favourite little ladies would sit on the bed in the spare room. Now that we're back at my Dad's staying for a while, they sit in the spare bedroom. They are as cute as ever and I love giving them hugs every once in a while. I know they are always there if I need them and I know they will never ever let me down or leave me. 

 
Leah, Presley, Sarah, Bella, Lucy and Molly

Having a favourite teddy bear or cuddly toy is not a sign of being childish or immature. People who take a teddy bear to bed do not need to grow up. Having a faithful furry friend can be a source of comfort for many, many people of all ages. They are extremely loyal and give the best hugs. They can help you through the darkest of times in your life when you feel like everyone else is against you or you don't have anyone to talk too. Don't ever knock someone for having a favourite cuddly toy, as you never know how much they might have helped a person. I can honestly say my little friends have helped me so much over the years.