Longtime readers of this blog might recall my fascination for white bears with red hearts. Thousands of white, plush bears holding fuzzy red hearts have appeared in stores every February since I can remember ... then they suddenly disappear the morning after Valentine’s Day until the following year. Nobody knows where they go.Why do so many people choose the white bear/red heart combination to express their deepest feelings year after year? One of the mysteries of the universe, I suppose.
The red hearts have always stated I Love You in white embroidery. Until this year. The bears appeared in their usual locations next to the chocolates and cards on the shelves, but with blank red hearts. Seems the greeting card industry trend to make sentiments more general reached the bears: most people want to give gifts on Valentine's Day, but not everyone wants to go as far as saying I Love You.
Hallmark's third bear, Valentine's Day 2010: "Advanced voice recognition technology makes sure our bear is always ready with just the right words on Valentine's Day. Each time he hears I Love You he responds with 1 of 4 responses. Awww, I Love You Too, Give Me A Hug, You're The Best, I Love You More."So now you have the giver of the bear expressing emotions only when the recipient expresses emotions ... to the bear, not the recipient ... and is the bear speaking for the giver? If the bear says Give Me A Hug, does the recipient hug the bear, or the giver?
Anyway, I want one! To help me with my next poetry reading.
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1 comments:
Despite the illusive grander meaning of the Hallmark - he's pretty darn cute!
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