Pure serendipity that we came across some interactive animated Christmas teddy bears at a local Christmas Fair; they needed a new home for the Holidays and we were happy to oblige. Our research turned up that they were originally sold by Avon Cosmetics under the name of ‘Avon Kids Bedtime Tales’; they were released in the year 2000 which officially makes them ‘vintage’. By modern standards this Mummy Bear and Baby Bear will appear a little ‘old hat’ and low-tech but we were so charmed by them that we decided to film their Xmas story and festive singalong song and upload them to YouTube.
Apologies for the sound quality. Their voices are a little ‘tinny’ which seemed to affect the recording and there’s a rather irritating high pitched whine that we couldn’t get rid of. Despite those problems we still wanted to immortalise these fun, festive interactive toys which no doubt have given countless hours of pleasure to kids and which generate a lot of excitement when they appear in the house every year at Christmas time.
CLICK THE PICTURE to be taken to our YouTube video where Mummy Bear tells Baby Bear the famous ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas story. We’ve typed out the conversation and story for you below just in case you’d like to read along on Christmas Eve.
Baby Bear: Mummy, tell me a story
Mummy Bear: Alright little bear, only if you promise to go to sleep when we’re finished
Baby Bear: OK
Mummy Bear: ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas?
Baby Bear: Yeah, my favourite
Mummy Bear: ‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring not even a mouse. The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads, when what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer.
Baby Bear: Ooooh I love this part
Mummy Bear: As I drew in my head, and was turning around, down the chimney Santa Claus came with a bound.
Baby Bear: (laughter) Tell me what he looked like
Mummy Bear: Well, he was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, and I laughed when I saw him in spite of myself, he spoke not a word but went straight to his work, and filled all the stockings then turned with a jerk, and laying his finger aside of his nose, and giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.
Baby Bear: Wow! Tell me more.
Mummy Bear: But I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight,
Together: “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!”
CLICK THE PICTURE to be taken to our second YouTube video where Mummy Bear and Baby Bear rock along together to an upbeat Christmas song. We’ve typed out the lyrics for you below so make sure you join in!
There’s a winter world just waiting out there,
Where there’s joy and fun just filling the air,
It’s the happiest season when everyone’s feeling fine.
Well the snow is finally starting to fall,
Every boy and girl is having a ball,
It’s the happiest season when everyone’s feeling fine.
And we’ll go, out on a horse-drawn sleigh ride,
Then when we stop there’s a snowball fight,
Everybody off to the pond we’ll skate all night.
This is a wonderful time.
There’s a chill at night when the cold wind blows,
But we’re warm by the fire telling stories we know,
It’s the happiest season when everyone’s feeling fine.
With a WHOOSH! and a yell down the mountain we go,
On a sled it’s so fun to spend the day in the snow,
It’s the happiest season when everyone’s feeling fine.
And we’ll go, out on a horse-drawn sleigh ride,
Then when we stop there’s a snowball fight,
Everybody off to the pond we’ll skate all night.
This is a wonderful time.