Winnie the Pooh Facts

Learn more about the cuddly teddy bear on National Winnie the Pooh Day.

National Winnie the Pooh Day is celebrated on January 18th, author A.A. Milne's birthday. Check-out fifteen fun facts of this beloved teddy bear on a day dedicated to him.

Fun Facts

Below are fifteen facts about Winnie the Pooh:

1. Winnie-the-Pooh was inspired by an actual teddy bear author A.A. Milne gave to his son, Christopher Robin Milne, on his first birthday on August 21st, 1921.

2. Winnie the teddy bear was originally named Edward, but the name was changed after Christopher Robin visited the London Zoo and developed a fondness for a real-life female black bear named Winnie.

3. The Canadian soldier who brought the real-life female black bear to the zoo originally named her "Winnipeg" based on where she came from in Canada, but the name was later shortened to "Winnie."

4. The real-life Winnie lived to 20 years of age and died in 1934.

5. The "Pooh" part of the teddy bear's name came from a swan Milne and his son encountered, fed, and named while on vacation.

6. The yellow bear illustration of Winnie-the-Pooh was not a representation of Christopher Robin's teddy bear, but of illustrator's Ernest Howard Shepard's own son's teddy bear named Growler.

7. Winnie-the-Pooh's first story was published on October 14th, 1926.

8. Winnie-the-Pooh and the Queen were both born in 1926.

9. After Stephen Slesinger acquired the rights of Winnie-the-Pooh in 1930 for use in the US and Canada, the teddy bear was depicted in a red shirt beginning in 1932.

10. Winnie the Pooh's name was originally hyphenated by author A.A. Milne, but Walt Disney dropped the hyphens when he bought the rights to the character in 1961.

11. The original manuscripts for Winnie-the-Pooh is at The Wren Library at Trinity College at the University of Cambridge in England.

12. Christopher Robin's original stuffed animal has been on display at The New York Public Library's Stephen A. Schwarzman building since September 11th, 1987.

13. The New York Public Library encourages children to make and mail a birthday card to Winnie the Pooh. Birthday cards can be addressed to: Winnie-the-Pooh c/o Children's Center at 42nd Street The New York Public Library 476 Fifth Avenue, Room 84 New York, NY 10018

14. Winnie the Pooh was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006.

15. Forbes magazine named Winnie the Pooh the most valuable children's character in the world.

What's Next?

Interested in more fun facts about Winnie the Pooh? Check out The Adventures of the REAL Winnie-the-Pooh webpage by The New York Public Library.

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Thanks, and have a great day!

Simply Jelly Jam