Happy Birthday WINNIE the POOH… WE LOVE ❤️ YOU!

**The Creation of Winnie the Pooh in 1926 places Winnie celebrating her 98th birthday while his Creator/ Author AA Milne** **was born 142 years ago today on January 18, 1882.**

Dear Reader:

Today is the ” The Cuddliest National Holiday- Winnie the Pooh Holiday” and its author AA Milne ‘s actual birth date!

Many people mark today with Teddy Bear picnics… featuring plenty of 🍯 honey!!!

The history of Winnie’s creation goes back to a black bear named Winnie the Pooh ( the former mascot of the Winnipeg Regiment of the Canadian Army in WWI. … thus the name.

The little black bear was given to the London Zoo to protect it ( when the regiment was sent to the front) Meanwhile while AA Milne’s son, Christoper visited the zoo every day until his father returned home and took up the daily visit.

Based on his observations over time the children’s author wrote in 1926 the first series of Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin … now his son’s name. Soon after the first series was published ( an over night sensation) Disney bought the rights to its character and his image was created by illustrator E H Shepard.

**AA Milne and his son , now Christopher Robin and the first Winnie the Pooh teddy bear!**

Christopher loved his Winnie the Pooh naming it Winnie and combining it with a stuffed toy swan named Pooh …but it was Disney, of course, that dressed the animated version with her famous red jacket!

One of Winnie’s largest invitations lately, was to the King Charles’ courtyard coronation celebration…where he shared his history with Tom Cruise in a video shown the courtyard guests.

Winnie was so excited to attend last year!

Today Winnie the Pooh’s books have been translated in 22 languages….****The 1958 LATIN translation… spent 20 Plus Weeks on the NY TIMES- the only book in Latin ever to do so!

Pooh’s popularity remains undiminished ! A 2004 Forbes article describes her ( yes her) as the second highest earning fictional character – only supplanted by Mickey Mouse!

And now… how about you? Was Winnie the Pooh a part of your childhood or do you even still have your childhood Winnie the Pooh bear…please send comments or even photos… if Pooh played a part in your life.

Email: rebecca_dingle @ hotmail.com

Even as cognitively gone as I was when first entering The Palms …Pooh was already here waiting on me – amazing what a difference it made to me! Stephanie Ballard … my long ago baby sitter … picked this Winnie the Pooh (the Gardner) out for me when she and her daughter went to Disney World several years ago and found this Pooh at Epcot,,, and it stayed in my bedroom from the moment it arrived until moving with me to our new happy place… accompanied by the book /Positively Pooh/ … Jo sent me first thing after the move!!!

Eva Cate has always loved her Winnie and still remains in her bedroom as she has entered the teenage phase… as we all know… quite a feat!

So until tomorrow… Isn’t it remarkable how one childhood fictional character or toy ( Polly the doll) stays faithful by our side through out our lives… a reminder that love and faithfulness comes in many different forms !

Have a great day… since it is one of the last warm afternoons before the next frigid cold blast arrives this weekend for the Lowcountry … Teddy bear picnic day!

About Becky Dingle

I was born a Tarheel but ended up a Sandlapper. My grandparents were cotton farmers in Laurens, South Carolina and it was in my grandmother’s house that my love of storytelling began beside an old Franklin stove. When I graduated from Laurens High School, I attended Erskine College (Due West of what?) and would later get my Masters Degree in Education/Social Studies from Charleston Southern. I am presently an adjunct professor/clinical supervisor at CSU and have also taught at the College of Charleston. For 28 years I taught Social Studies through storytelling. My philosophy matched Rudyard Kipling’s quote: “If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.” Today I still spread this message through workshops and presentations throughout the state. The secret of success in teaching social studies is always in the story. I want to keep learning and being surprised by life…it is the greatest teacher. Like Kermit said, “When you’re green you grow, when you’re ripe you rot.”

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