How can you preserve old teddy bear for eternity?
Both my kids have used the same teddy bear every night until they were 3 years old, so I have a special attachment for this particular toy and I would like to be able to preserve it for as long as possible.
I've thought about using a vacuum bag but I would like to read others' opinions or ideas.
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I've had several favorite stuffed animals, and they all got very worn over the years. My mother did her very best in cosmetic surgery and that certainly extended their lifetime significantly.
But in the end they all disintegrated, either because they were cuddled to death or because of that mice infestation in our garage back in the early 90's... By that time I was old enough to accept that nothing lasts forever, except the memories.
Looking back on these beloved things, here's what I would recommend:
Start out with high quality teddy bears that can withstand a lot of wear.
Ensure access to skilled teddy surgeons. They might need to be creative at times.
Help your child understand the transience of material objects.
Help preserve fond memories.
Have a heartfelt farewell.
This is something that can be framed. I framed my parents' dog's favorite toy. Everyone loves it. And most importantly they love it. My mother framed my favourite pair of shoes from high school. Check it out.
However, if you want to do it yourself, I would suggest searching for UV (ultra violet - prevents fading - if you want) acrylic display cases. They come in all sorts of sizes. You can get them to hang on walls (as if they are a shelf but are totally enclosed) or you could get them as a box you could put on a side table or mantle (I don't know the size of this teddy bear). And you can get them with or without a base (and the base can be acrylic or wood).
There are probably more options but I just happened to be looking the other day and that's what I found. Framing would be awesome for a smaller one.
Well, eternity might be a challenge, but I might have the trick for a long time. If youre being serious about it, you can buy a airtight glass/acrylic box. The glass will be tempered and scratch resistant, and the acrylic is, well, its acrylic. You can send whatever you want in the box to a facility where they can dehydrate the toy, then seal it in the box. This will prevent and moisture from causing mold, and lots of containers have UV blocking coating to keep out the light that would fade the toy. This would be the best way to preserve it for a long time. If you need longer, build an underground bunker and put a bomb proof safe at the bottom, then put the box inside, seal the vault, weld it shut, forget the code, loose the key, and completely forget about it. Then it will be there for eternity.
I came looking for answers... my daughter, who is in her 30's, brought her teddy bear to me for safekeeping. It looks like there are no commercial storage items especially made for teddy bears!
So the answer just came to me... I am going to use a large plastic jar that pretzels or corn curls came in, wash it out thoroughly and make sure it's dry, and then put the bear inside with some tissue paper. It might not be a permanent solution, but it will keep the dust off and be easily identifiable as it sits on a shelf.
I hope you enjoy my light bulb moment!
ETA: I'm going to add a couple of those silicon packets, the kind that absorb moisture in it also. :)
Don't store in plastic, it will go mouldy. Wrap in 100% cotton and tuck away in the wardrobe.
I would put it in a sealed bag, and then put it in a plastic box and seal the edges with masking tape. making sure the entire box was filled with other plastic materials, so that no air was there.
I am not sure I have the answer but I have a 51 year old teddy bear that my mother put in a cedar chest with a baby blanket my mother has passed I have the teddy bear he is very worn but I am so happy to have it
My daughters grandma got her a teddy bear when she was first born and she’s always slept with it she doesn’t talk to it or anything but She always sleeps with it every night she’s 12 and the teddy bears perfect it’s a little different than when she first got it but it’s perfect she washes it every few months and try’s not to mess around with it so my answer is wash it gently and don’t throw it around to much
Years ago, when I was in my twenties, my Grandad showed me a storage box. It contained all the letters and cards my brother and I had ever sent him as children. It was amazing looking through them all, and I was quite touched.
Step forward a few years, and I'm a parent now myself. I have so far accumulated three foolscap containers containing numerous scribblings and doodles made by our daughter. Only the best ones go in, but our daughter likes to draw so theres a lot to choose from.
These containers also contain her first booties, and a few precious bears. Now obviously, if your bear is big, this wouldn't be suitable. But if it is sufficiently small, I would save it in a container with all their special notes and cards. It won't seem much now, but in ten or twenty years it will bring back a flood of memories.
This is obviously a preference thing, but I would strongly recommend against encasing Bubby in carbonite.
I understand the sentimental value that these things have. The problem is that such a thing that the kids had forever (that gave them a little bit of security and familiarity in not so secure or familiar situations, like visiting relatives or an overnight when the aunt baby sat) is that the attachment has to stop cold.
You're quite literally taking it away. It's no longer Bubby and it's turned into a keepsake. They will no longer be allowed to simply interact with it.
My 20 yo had a crappy, Walmart, Power Ranger comforter that his mom got when he was < 5. They had it when we got together. When he went to college he took it with him, tattered, stinky and flat. When he moved from college into his apartment, something happened and it got ripped horribly and lost all it's usefulness. He brought it to show his mother and we all lamented the loss of his bubby and he put it in the dumpster. The wife got it out, salvaged several good sections and made him a blanket that we gave him for xmas and we all laughed.
It will fall apart, but it will increase in value as it falls apart from use than it will ever have sitting on a shelf as a keepsake.
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