Note:- Contains Gifted Package.

Today is Bartholomew Bear’s birthday, and to mark the occasion, Jellycat released an adorable new bear: Bartholomew Bear Junior.
Even more exciting? They sent him out as a gift to some very lucky Jellycat enthusiasts.

And guess what?
I was one of them.

The Arrival

It’s been a rough week for me mentally and physically (more on that another time), and I was scrolling Instagram in search of a little dopamine when I noticed a message from Jellycat:

“A package has arrived.”

Now, I hadn’t had anything delivered, so I RACED – and I do mean raced – down to the post room. (Okay, I impatiently waited for the lift first, but you get the vibe.)
And there it was: a mysterious box, the label marked “Bartholomew’s Birthday.”

Obviously, this package wasn’t for me. It was for my bears. I burst back into the flat, and my son immediately asked,
“Was it there?”
I replied,
“YES!”
…before grabbing Biscoff, because this was clearly a birthday delivery just for him.

Opening the Jellycat Box – The Bear is Alive.

If you’ve read my blog before, you’ll know I use the metaphor of Schrödinger’s Cat and superposition a lot. It’s one of those concepts I’ve fallen in love with – the idea of existing in multiple potential states at once is weirdly comforting to me.

And opening the Jellycat box? Never have I been so excited to collapse a wave function.

Wrapped in Bartholomew Bear paper was – drumroll – a baby brother for Biscoff.

The bear was alive. (To me, anyway.) Cream-coloured, soft beyond belief, with the biggest kindest eyes and tiny, delicate limbs. SO CUTE. I nearly cried. Truly.

Biscoff, however, looked a bit stunned. Being a big brother is a big responsibility, and I think he wasn’t expecting to share his Biscoff spread with another bear anytime soon. He was nervous… maybe even mildly offended.

The box didn’t just contain the CUTEST Baby Bear EVER.
No, he travelled in style – a beautiful Bartholomew-themed birthday box filled with: A pin badge and a keyring of Bartholomew holding a birthday cake, really cute stickers, a birthday card for Biscoff and little polaroids of Bartholomew junior.

Everything was so thoughtfully designed and so cute I am tempted to never take the keyring and pin badge out of the package. But also… I REALLY want to use them. So badly. The internal conflict is real.

The Kindness of Jellycat

I started collecting Jellycats after I lost my best friend WeeGee. What I needed – desperately – was softness, and these bears gave me something I didn’t realise I was allowed to have: comfort.

They don’t just sit on a shelf being cute (though, trust me, they are very cute). They hold feelings. They sit with my grief. They show up when I’m lonely. My penguin Jellycats especially – WeeGee’s favourite animal – feel like little pieces of her are still here, waddling quietly beside me.

So for Jellycat to reach out and send a bear – at a time when I was already struggling – means more than I can put into words. They gave me a spark of joy exactly when I needed it most.

Biscoff and His New Brother

After some initial awkwardness, I’m pleased to report that Biscoff has fully embraced his new role as big brother. He has shared his Biscoff (grudgingly, but lovingly) and they are now inseparable.

He has sworn an oath to protect him. They will absolutely be up to midnight Biscoff spread-related mischief soon. If there’s a trail of crumbs across the living room, it could be me, it could be them – honestly, probably both.

I still haven’t picked a name for the new little bear yet. Nothing feels quite cute enough. But for now, he is loved, welcomed, and very much alive.

We Were Going To Have A Birthday Party

My son and I were planning to have an actual Bartholomew Bear Birthday Party, but neither of us have been feeling our best this week.
We’ll still have one soon, though – to properly celebrate this beautiful bear gift.

My son is ordering his own Bartholomew Bear Junior from the Jellycat website today, so maybe we’ll throw a real party when his bear arrives too.
Hopefully by then, we’ll both be feeling a little better.

I’m so thankful to Jellycat for this incredibly kind gift. Having such an adorable little bear to comfort me while I haven’t been feeling my best has meant more than I can say. I really hope that when my son’s bear arrives, it brings him just as much comfort as mine has brought me these past few days.

(Jellycat didn’t ask me to do anything in exchange for the package. In fact they messaged my Instagram account I havent even used for ages. However, for transparency I did want to write this blog post myself).