Home   News   Article

More than a quarter of millenials keep teddy bears on their bed


By Kirsty Brown

Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.



Click here to sign up to our free newsletters!

It appears that it’s not just the little ones who like to have their teddies on their bed in pride of place, new research has revealed.

The research of 2,000 respondents from online electrical retailer, AO.com, found that one in four millennials admit to still having their childhood teddies on their bed for all to see.

In fact, 80 percent of millennials said they don’t feel embarrassed to still own their cuddly toys, despite 22 percent admitting they pretend to others that they don’t still have their teddy when they do.

27 percent said they wished it was more widely accepted for millennials to have their childhood teddies.

When quizzed on the reasons why millennials keep their teddies, almost half (47 percent) said it was because it brings back a lot of memories and 45 percent said that their teddy brings them comfort.

This was followed closely by 44 percent who would feel too bad to throw it away, while nearly a third of millennials (32 percent) keep their teddies to hand down to their children.

A further 26 percent confessed to keeping their teddies because they love it more than anything else, rounding off the top five reasons why millennials still have their childhood teddies.

Behavioural psychologist Jo Hemmings said; “We know that infants become really attached to what are known as transitional objects, that tend to be chosen in the first year of life and provides comfort when a parent isn’t with them.

"In many cases, teddies are our first attachment object, we name them, love them and very often don’t want to be parted from them.

"Whether cuddled bald or fresh as the day that they were given to us, teddies trigger good memories, are reassuring and comforting and have their rightful place in our bedrooms where they were most associated.

“It’s lovely that 80 percent of millennials are happy to admit they have their teddy still – they grew up in an era when high value was placed on self-care, work/life balance and emotional intelligence.

"A teddy provides reliable comfort in a way no scatter cushion could ever do.”


Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More