Stuffed bears, commonly known as Teddy Bears, are among the most common gifts for children, though they can also be given to express love, sympathy, or birthday greetings. 

The origin of the moniker “Teddy Bear” comes from the nickname given to Theodore Roosevelt. The name originated from an incident on a bear hunting trip in Mississippi in November 1902, to which Roosevelt was invited by Mississippi Governor Andrew H. Longino.

There were several other hunters competing, and most of them had already killed animals. A suite of Roosevelt’s attendants, led by Holt Collier, cornered, clubbed, and tied an American black bear to a willow tree after a long, exhausting chase with hounds. They called Roosevelt to the site and suggested that he shoot it. He refused to shoot the bear himself, deeming this unsportsmanlike, but instructed that the bear be killed to put it out of its misery.

The incident became the topic of a political cartoon by Clifford Berryman in The Washington Post on November 16, 1902. While the initial cartoon of an adult black bear lassoed by a handler and a disgusted Roosevelt had symbolic overtones, later issues of that and other Berryman cartoons made the bear smaller and cuter.

The practical use of sleds is ancient and widespread. They were developed in areas with consistent winter snow cover as vehicles to transport materials and/or people far more efficiently than wheeled vehicles could in icy and snowy conditions.

Early designs included hand-pulled sizes as well as larger dog-, horse-, or ox-drawn versions. Early examples of sleds and sledges were found in the Oseberg Viking ship excavation. 

The Toboggan sled is also a traditional form of transport used by the Innu and Cree of northern Canada. 

The people of Ancient Egypt are thought to have used sledges (on the desert sand and on ramps) extensively for construction.

A favorite winter pastime, ice skating has its origins in Finland over 5000 years ago. Early ice skates were made of bone and strapped to the foot.

The earliest known skate to use a metal blade was found in Fennoscandia, dated to 200 A.D. It was fitted with a thin strip of copper folded and attached to the underside of a leather shoe.

Before 1870, most touring skates had a wooden foot-plate, which was attached to the boot with leather straps. The wooden base was then strapped to the boot. The boot was a separate shoe.

A Belgian inventor named Joseph Merlin introduced the roller skate in 1760. Most skate wheels were made of maple or boxwood until the early 20^th century, when steel wheels were introduced.

The popularity of roller skating boomed in the 1870s with the creation of the first roller rink in London known, as the Great Hall Olympia.

Additionally, for women, this meant the introduction of more free-form clothing known as skating skirts. Though still much more restrictive than anything worn today, this garment allowed more freedom of movement in women’s apparel than was previously known.

Racket design and manufacturing has changed considerably over the centuries.

The frames of rackets for all sports were traditionally made of solid wood (later laminated wood) and the strings of animal intestine known as catgut.

The traditional racket size was limited by the strength and weight of the wooden frame which had to be strong enough to hold the strings and stiff enough to hit the ball or shuttle. Manufacturers started adding non-wood laminates to wood rackets to improve stiffness.

Non-wood rackets were made first of steel, then of aluminum, and then carbon fiber composites. Wood is still used for real tennis rackets. Most rackets are now made of composite materials, including carbon fiber or fiberglass, metals such as titanium alloys, and ceramics.

Most of us are familiar with the piggy bank, but many other iterations of small savings devices have been used as a way to encourage saving. 

Banks were originally intended to promote saving money among children in the mid-19th century.

Frequently made of cast iron, mechanical banks were often creatively designed, depicting historical, legendary or everyday events to increase their appeal.

Each bank performed a stunt or an action when a coin was dropped into a slot and a lever was pulled. The banks quickly became popular with children and adults alike.

The Barbie doll originated in 1959, the creation of Ruth and Elliott Handler. The first Barbie doll wore a black and white zebra-striped swimsuit and signature topknot ponytail, and was available as either a blonde or brunette. The doll was marketed as a “Teen-age Fashion Model,” with her clothes created by Mattel fashion designer Charlotte Johnson.

Barbie’s appearance has been changed many times, most notably in 1971 when the doll’s eyes were adjusted to look forward rather than having the demure sideways glance of the original model.

She has an on-off romantic relationship with her boyfriend Ken (Ken Carson), who first appeared in 1961.

Barbie has had over 40 pets, including cats, dogs, horses, panda, lion cub, and zebra. She has owned a wide range of vehicles, including pink Beetle and Corvette convertibles, trailers, and Jeeps.

She also holds a pilot‘s license and operates commercial airliners in addition to serving as a flight attendant. Barbie’s careers are designed to show that women can take on a variety of roles in life. The doll has been sold with a wide range of titles, including Miss Astronaut Barbie (1965), Doctor Barbie (1988), and Nascar Barbie (1998).

Did you know Barbie’s full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts?