Our Partners in Crime: Stuffed Edition

Cover Art: Honey Simatupang

Like strawberry puff pastries in early April, stuffed animals provide the right amount of sweetness to cure a case of the bad days and rough nights. As children, we lug our lambies, froggies, or teddies around until their coiled fur becomes matted, their limbs sag, and threaded smiles pop at the seams. At last, when we pack our plushies into the closest, society has codified it as a rite of passage into adolescence. 

After living in a pandemic for nearly a year, I've had a lot of time to reflect on the former Beanie Boos, Build-a-Bears, and Webkinz I called friends. This past winter was especially chilling —it felt like the fog of gloom hanging over me would never part, and isolation was a friend I'd have to get used to. My friends and family certainly kept me afloat when I fell on such rough shores. But so did my new stuffed sweet creatures: Misty the Orca and Avi the Avocado.

According to psychologists, many teenagers and adults find their way back to their childhood stuffed animals, blankies, and more, in times of crisis. In 1953, British psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott first referred to these items as "transitional objects." Transitional objects are dolls, blankets, or other items chosen by children to alleviate anxiety during separation from their "first external objects," like a mother or caregiver until they cross the bridge to independence and self-sufficiency. 

When we face new uncertainties in life, it makes perfect sense that we seek out the objects that previously provided us solace. Since 2020 was a rollercoaster for everyone, I decided to interview my friends and a few Unpublished staff members on the sweet creatures who stuck by their sides during these tumultuous times. Here are their stories.

"A Consistent Love"

One of my favorite stuffed animals is Lovey. My dad got it for me when my mom was pregnant, so I've literally had him my entire life. He's kind of like Frankenstein because I've patched him up so much. Sherbie is another plushie special to me, and I brought him along whenever my family went on vacation. One day I left him on the plane, and I didn't realize until we got home. So he was shipped on a new adventure and flew all across the country. At specific points in life, I was on the cusp of getting rid of my plushies, but I accepted I'm always going to have them because they bring me comfort and joy. Now more than ever with the pandemic, Lovey and Sherbie provide reassurance. Before I would come home, see my stuffed animals, say "hi," and move on with my day. Now I appreciate their consistency and how they will always be there when I need someone to hug. 

— Rebekah, 16, Manhattan

"Sending Love from Miles Away" 

My favorite stuffed animal is a melon, as weird as it sounds! I call my girlfriend a melon as a joke, and for one of our anniversaries, she gave me the stuffed melon as a present, and I love it as I'm in a long-distance relationship, so having it to cuddle is so reassuring!

— Dorothy, 22, London

"Nostalgic Cuddles"

My favorite plush animal is my stuffed lion. I've had it for the last ten years, and as an only child, it came with me to the park and stood tall as I threw it in the air off my bed— we were inseparable. I've never lost it, but I'm surprised it hasn't broken since it's been through so much. Once I hit first grade and learned what the internet was, my attention shifted to online games instead. But this winter, I got a Build-A-Bear, because it reminded me of my childhood. Since Covid-19 struck, nostalgia has consumed my mind, and with so much sadness, I prefer to think back on happier times. Still, I'm grateful for living in the age of the internet where I can call my friends, even if I can't see them face to face, and for stuffed animals, of course!

— Olivia, 16, Manhattan

"Squishmellow Buds"

The first notable stuffed animal in my life was Warehouse Mouse. I got it when I was two or three, and from then on, I was like, "This is mine. My child." In elementary school, a girl said, "Gabbi is so annoying she takes that stuffed mouse everywhere." Instead of being insecure, I said, "Screw you, I don't ever want to see you again." Now we work together, and I still don't talk to her! As social media entered my life, I started to pay less attention to stuffed animals. Now, I've gone back in reverse. Covid-19 took a significant toll on my mental health, and I've craved simple things. I recently bought a blue dinosaur Squishmallow, called Brown Sugar (after my friend's spilled brown sugar boba), and Mitski, a small brown cow Squishmallow. We all have different ways of finding comfort. 

— Gabbi, 15, Brooklyn

"Beautifully Berry"

My favorite stuffed animal is named Berry Jamz. I got her during a Build-a-Bear swap at a Zoom party with my friend Sanai, the writer of this article! Berry Jamz is always by my side when Sanai and I watch movies, like What's Eating Gilbert Grape and Moxie. During the pandemic, I've gravitated towards stuffed animals, mainly because they are something you can resort back to whenever you feel like there’s no one else. Most teenagers feel like we're in our prime age, but we can't do much since we are stuck in the house. Getting a stuffed animal will change your life. I used to say, "Stuffed animals are overrated, blah blah, blah," and now I have a massive pile of them in my room. Don't be ashamed of those dolls you had as a kid or "blankies" anymore. 

— Arielle, 15, Montclair

"Snuggle Buddy" 

Chimchim has been a friend of mine for about four years now! He fell into my hands on my 13th birthday, and we've been best buds ever since. He's a favorite of my 4-year-old cousin as he will barrel through the door, jump on the bed, and bury his face in Chimchim's tummy whenever he comes to visit us, all before even saying hello. In true BFF fashion, Chimchim has seen me through my worst, been strangled in his sleep (because, at 17, I still don't know what to do with my arms at night), and is my cheerleader through long days of virtual classes and meetings. He's the greatest friend a girl could have! 

— Cindy, 17, Boston

"Irreplaceable Pillow"

When I was little and still susceptible to televised ads, I became obsessed with Pillow Pets. Like, really obsessed. After several pleads and shed tears, I convinced my parents to buy me a $25 overpriced pillow, whom I named Kirby. He has accompanied me on journeys ranging from Puerto Rico to Perú, and no matter where I was, Kirby was there. Eventually, I outgrew him and would leave him in my closet or stop carrying him altogether. Until this year, that is. With Covid forcing us to stay home, I've spent more time on my bed than in previous years, and my connection with Kirby came back. And now, while I don't use it as a pillow, he is always somewhere on my bed.

— Ivaramoix, 17, Florida

A majority of us humans talk without ever truly listening to one another. Most importantly, a lot of us forget to listen to ourselves. The rainbow ball pit of emotions that rumble inside our hearts deserves to be heard, not ignored. We live in an age where everything we see upholds false realities — social media stars, food brands, advertisements, and it's difficult not to suppress your persona to fit in. However, to feel is one of the most innate aspects of life. We grow up from being little toddlers on the playground, but we don't ever stop growing. Each day we morph into the best versions of ourselves, which aren't even our best versions because what makes a human whole is all 2,000 layers of ourselves. 

The heartwarming stories above prove that stuffed animals foster a safe space where us beings can feel at home within their skin. In 2017, Build-a-Bear surveyed over 2,000 American adults regarding stuffed animals. Over 40% of respondents said they still sleep with stuffed animals by their side. Additionally, more than 70% said they plan to keep their stuffed creatures forever. The love between humans and stuffies is a universal experience. The notion sleeping beside them is a “sign of immaturity” is immature itself. 

"You can love your stuffed animals at any age," my six-year-old sister Nailah told me. "Let's say you like dolls, you can still have them when you're fifteen. There is no such thing as ‘babyish’. At the end of the day, it is something you love and that is what’s most important." I asked my brother Jair what he would say to people who think stuffed animals are babyish, and in his spunky ten-year-old style, he replied, "I'd just say you're babyish." 

You are never too old to need a hug. Stuffed animals are undoubtedly the best hug buddies of them all.