Two teddy bears, an older rather well hugged and (now) floppy one and a much firmer plushie share my bed with me and, like Anne, both have traveled with me for years as well. They bring great delight to my 3-year-old granddaughter who can't really believe MeeMaw sleeps with them.
I also share the bed with two small dogs and a cat who are usually generous enough to leave me a sliver of mattress  .

Susan

I'm so glad I'm not the only one!  For years and years I really thought I was.  I've always had a love for stuffed animals and plushie dolls.  Of course, here on the thread is the first time I ever admitted it to anyone.

I have a small collection of unicorns at my parents' house, but none with me at my apartment. I gotta change that.

A long term member here once noted she was "reclaiming her lost girlhood" as she was/is a real fan of a particular critter.  That really struck me.  We do have the ability to redefine our lives and if that includes cute plushy dolls or animals then why should gender or age be any issue at all?  As we assert our truths and breath free of repressive constraints a cuddly critter can be just what we want.

Amen Tessa!

Here's a little update: my plushie little friends that I've kept an my mom's house are coming home!  But alas, two of my little friends are gone for good.  I could buy two new ones, but that would be like cheating on my originals.  I'm the one who purged my dolls in the first place, but how I would give anything to get them all back!!!

Good to hear they are coming home!

I have a lot of stuffed animals that I've kept. Most are still at my parents' house, but some moved out with me. Only one got destroyed by their dog, because they decided that they could give it to the dog without asking me first.

Apart from my younger brother, my soft toys were my best friends when I was growing up. Even though I don't use them any more (except for one that stays on/beside the bed), it hurts to think of giving them away or throwing them out (or letting them get chewed apart). So instead I just have to deal with the bi-annual "when are you throwing out your toys?" or "we're going to throw out your toys" discussion.

Quote from: charizard on July 31, 2018, 02:51:07 AM
I have a lot of stuffed animals that I've kept. Most are still at my parents' house, but some moved out with me. Only one got destroyed by their dog, because they decided that they could give it to the dog without asking me first.

Apart from my younger brother, my soft toys were my best friends when I was growing up. Even though I don't use them any more (except for one that stays on/beside the bed), it hurts to think of giving them away or throwing them out (or letting them get chewed apart). So instead I just have to deal with the bi-annual "when are you throwing out your toys?" or "we're going to throw out your toys" discussion.

I purged my collection by bringing them to my parents' house.  I kept them in a closet upstairs in a bedroom decorated for children.  I thought my dolls would blend in and no one but me would know where they came from.  Anyway, three of them (originally I said two, but after I my remaining dolls I realized I lost three) were kept in a plastic trash bag and somehow wound up in the garage downstairs with the rest of the garbage.  I had every intention of rescuing them, but I didn't act fast enough and now they are gone forever.  I'd give anything to get them back.  Of my dolls they were my favorite.  One of them especially!!!

Quote from: Danielle Kristina on July 30, 2018, 10:56:01 PM
Here's a little update: my plushie little friends that I've kept an my mom's house are coming home!  But alas, two of my little friends are gone for good.  I could buy two new ones, but that would be like cheating on my originals.  I'm the one who purged my dolls in the first place, but how I would give anything to get them all back!!!

It wouldn't be cheating on them to get new ones.  It would be reincarnation.

Quote from: Danielle Kristina on July 31, 2018, 02:57:25 AM
I purged my collection by bringing them to my parents' house.  I kept them in a closet upstairs in a bedroom decorated for children.  I thought my dolls would blend in and no one but me would know where they came from.  Anyway, three of them (originally I said two, but after I my remaining dolls I realized I lost three) were kept in a plastic trash bag and somehow wound up in the garage downstairs with the rest of the garbage.  I had every intention of rescuing them, but I didn't act fast enough and now they are gone forever.  I'd give anything to get them back.  Of my dolls they were my favorite.  One of them especially!!!

That is sad.  If you can actually get identical new ones it might help a little.  I know it is not the same thing, but think of it as reclaiming part of you.  One of my favorite plushies -- that traveled everywhere with me -- was lost about ten years ago.  I can't get another exactly like him, and I have looked.  I have found a few similar and have hoarded them.  That actually did help a little.  You need to do what works for you.

Erin

Quote from: MaryT on July 31, 2018, 05:54:36 AM
It wouldn't be cheating on them to get new ones.  It would be reincarnation.

I later thought about it that way too.  I think I am going to get new ones exactly like my old ones.

Quote from: ErinWDK on July 31, 2018, 09:02:23 AM
That is sad.  If you can actually get identical new ones it might help a little.  I know it is not the same thing, but think of it as reclaiming part of you.  One of my favorite plushies -- that traveled everywhere with me -- was lost about ten years ago.  I can't get another exactly like him, and I have looked.  I have found a few similar and have hoarded them.  That actually did help a little.  You need to do what works for you.

Erin

I'm going to get identical new ones.  Originally, I wasn't going to, but as my heart hurts over losing my plushies I want to reclaim them in some way.  I guess that I can look at it this way: as I transition myself from the old to the new me, so do my long lost plushies.

Quote from: MaryT on July 31, 2018, 05:54:36 AM
It wouldn't be cheating on them to get new ones.  It would be reincarnation.

I did just that when, the bunny I had since my very first Easter (he was given to me by one of my grandmothers), was thrown away by my kid's heartless ex.  He knew how much my bunny meant to me, yet he was thrown away out of pure maliciousness.

Later on, I found a bunny from my then-favorite anime that had the same emotional "feel" as my original bunny.  So, my old bunny was reincarnated into the new bunny.  I've had my bunny's reincarnated body since 2005, and he sleeps over my head every night, since he too is now so worn that he's pretty threadbare .

Like I said in a previous post in this thread, my entire family knows that he goes in the coffin with me, to be cremated and his ashes mixed with mine so that we'll never be apart. <3

Ryuichi