The Ultimate Guide to Vermont Teddy Bears, Perfect for Gifting

What is a Vermont “Teddy Bear”?

“Teddy bears” are a type of stuffed animal that, in the United States, is most often associated with children. The teddy bear was named after Theodore Roosevelt, who was known as “Teddy” by his friends and family.

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The bears were created by Morris Michtom in 1902, who came up with the idea when he saw a drawing of President Roosevelt and thought that it would be nice to have a toy bear to hug.

The origin of the Vermont Teddy Bear

In 1983, a small, family business (later named Vermont Teddy Bear) was founded by John Sortino, who sold handmade teddy bears in a community outdoor market in Burlington, Vermont. Sortino happened upon the notion of mailing bears through the mail when a tourist from out of town asked him to send a bear to her home. He later worked this idea into the “Bear-Gram”, which customized and packaged the bears in their shipping boxes (even including a hole for the bear to “breathe”). Then, he mailed them through the postal service to his customers.

John Sortino manufactured teddy bears for his son in 1981, creating the Vermont Teddy Bear Company. Its first item was named Bearcho, owing to the thick eyebrows and handlebar mustache it bore, like those of Groucho Marx.

In 1995, the company moved into its brand-new headquarters to Shelburne, VT. The company had two factories: one in Shelburne and one in Newport, Vermont. The Shelburne, VT factory remains a particularly popular tourist site, but the Newport location closed in later years.

Visiting Vermont Teddy Bear

The first step in buying a Vermont Teddy Bear is to know what you want. Are you looking for a teddy bear that is soft, cuddly, and fluffy? Or are you looking for something that is more of an educational toy?

There are many different things to consider when buying a Vermont Teddy Bear. The most important thing to consider is the type of teddy bear that you want. There are different types of teddy bears based on their size, weight, and material.

Vermont Teddy Bear Shopping Tips

What are the best ways to buy a Vermont Teddy Bear online? We will go over the different considerations you should keep in mind when buying a teddy bear online as well as what to do if you are not happy with your purchase.

If you are ordering your bear as a gift, we recommend adding a personalized message to the bear’s tag. This will make it more special for the recipient of your gift.

Vermont Teddy Bears are a popular Christmas gift, so you should order them early in the Winter season to avoid any delays in delivery.

Best ways to buy a Vermont Teddy Bear online:

1. Find a reputable website that sells Vermont Teddy Bears – for example, Amazon.com, eBay or Etsy.

2. Make sure that the website is not selling counterfeit products and is approved by the Better Business Bureau.

3. Read the return policy of the website and make sure you can return the product if it doesn’t meet your expectations or is not what you were looking for.

4. Check out customer reviews and read them before committing to buy anything from any website.

While visiting the Shelburne area, be sure to check out the Shelburne Museum where you’ll find a fantastic array of everything historical and exciting, including a supposedly Vermont haunted house!

Photos in the above article were provided courtesy of Carol M. Highsmith