Q.
You’ve seen their plush paws and bountiful bottoms perched on benches in Saltzburg, scooters in Ho Chi Minh City, and fjord-side in Flåm. With the world being what it is, is it any wonder that adults are bringing their stuffies with them on vacation?

Do your plushies have airline points? What do they bring to your adult life?

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A.

While the results might not surprise us today, back in 2010, news outlets were shocked by a British Travelodge survey of 6,000 Brits. And what did the researchers find? 25% of men revealed that they brought their stuffies with them on business trips – for comfort, for stress relief, to evoke feelings of home.

And, in day-to stuffie life, this survey found across respondents of all genders …

British Travelodge Stuffie Survey. 2010
• 35% sleep with their stuffies for comfort
•  51% still have a stuffie from their childhood
•  27 years old is the average age of these adult-treasured stuffies
•  25% of male respondents say it’s acceptable to have an adult stuffie
•  But, 10% of single men hide their stuffie when a romantic partner sleeps over
•  And 14% of married men hide their stuffies when family and friends come visiting

No wonder Mr. Buttons hates visitors.

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In 2017, Build-A-Bear surveyed 2,000 adults for National Teddy Bear Day. They found …

National Teddy Bear Study. 2017
• 50% of respondents own a stuffed animal
• 40% sleep with them
• 56% have had their favourite stuffies for more than twenty years
• 72% plan to keep their beloved stuffies forever
• In thinking about these stuffies, the memories triggered are: feelings of comfort (30%), thoughts about the person who gave them the stuffie, and details about the stuffie’s appearance (19%)

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In fall of 2025, Circana  – a global research firm  – reported that 23% of the stuffed animal sales belong to 18+ adults shopping for themselves.

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www.justcurious.ca

Header Art: Denisse Leon