Did you know that Monday 18th January 2021 is Winnie the Pooh day? Written by Alan Alexander Milne (A.A. Milne), the day celebrates the great literary works of the Winnie the Pooh author. Whilst A.A. Milne enjoyed recognition for his earlier works of verse, essays and short stories, it is Winnie the Pooh that most will associate with him.
A.A. Milne was born on 18th January 1882, his son Christopher Robin Milne was born in 1920. It was during these precious years with his son that he began to write about Christopher’s toys; Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger, Rabbit, Kanga and Roo. These toys were the inspiration for the four books published; When We Were Very Young (1924), Winnie-the-Pooh (1926), Now We Are Six (1927) and The House at Pooh Corner (1928). Some were written in verse and others as short stories. All were illustrated by E.H. Shepherd and have remained firm favourites for millions of families around the world.
In the early 1960’s Walt Disney acquired the rights of all of the Winnie the Pooh characters and “modernised” Winnie’s design for his very first screen appearance in “Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree”, with his bold yellow fu and wearing his cropped red t-shirt.
Fun Winnie the Pooh Facts!
1 – Winnie the Pooh was named after Winnie, a Canadian Black Bear he would often see at London Zoo and Pooh, a Swan he encountered on holiday. Winnie was also named after his adopted town in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
2 – Winnie the Pooh is one of the best known characters in British children’s literature. In 2002, Forbes magazine ranked him at the most valuable fictional character with merchandising products generating more than £5.9 billion in that year.
3 – In 2006, the 80th birthday of A.A. Milne’s creation Winnie the Pooh received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
4 – Winnie the Pooh is so popular in Poland that there is a street named after him. There is also a street named after him in Budapest, Hungary.
5 – The original teddy bear that inspired A.A. Milne’s creations is on display in the New York Public Library.
6 – The Hundred Acre Wood is based on Ashdown Forest in Sussex.
7 – The simple game of Poohsticks, played on a bridge over running water, was first mentioned in “The House at Pooh Corner”. A much loved, simple game played by families was taken to a new level in 1984 with the annual World Poohsticks Championships, held at Day’s Lock on the River Thames.
Why not encourage little ones to mark the day with one of the following activities?
1 – Playing a game of Poohsticks with family and friends.
2 – Creating a map of the Hundred Acre Woods.
3 – Creating a short story about living in the Hundred Acre Woods.
4- Learning about the original black bear, Winnie.
5 – Enjoying one of Pooh’s adventures in the works mentioned above.
Here at The Steiff Shop, we are delighted to have a range of Winnie the Pooh pieces for collectors and little ones alike.
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