When I was a little girl I was bought a 4 foot high orange and white teddy that I interestingly called FRED! This 'tiny' cuddly toy used to share my bed when I got scared or couldn't sleep. It was nice to have something as a friend that you could talk to and tell your problems to but wouldn't answer back or call you names.
As I grew up into a teenager most of my other toys went into jumble sales or were got rid of yet Fred stayed with me all the time. When I got married and had 2 sons of my own he sat on his own chair watching over them and on occasions shared their beds also as he had with me.
He is sitting now (as my sons reach puberty) on his own chair amongst friends in my bedroom and my husband does not mind. he may be big but even though he is a little threadbare and grubby looking he is still my friend.
Just to show how much a teddy means to someone once they have one is this, in the past 2 years I have began to collect various shaped teddies but only with movable limbs / characters of their own. One I collected was a tie dyed teddy for Nuclear peace (a beanie)my young son has taken this for his own but only on lend. When he has a problem or is being bullied at school this is his friend too.
My family now buy me teddies as treats and my bedroom is getting crowded but each has its own memory to it.
Fred says make a friend and buy someone a teddy today!