National Winnie the Pooh Day, celebrated January 18, honors the birthday of A.A. Milne, the author of the beloved stories.

A.A. Milne named the bear Winnie after meeting a Canadian black bear at the zoo. The original Winnie was so friendly that zoo goers could hand feed her and children could even ride on her back. One of Winnie’s most frequent visitors was Christopher Robin, Milne’s young son.

Christopher Robin named his own stuffed bear “Winnie the Pooh”, a combination of Winnie’s name and the name of a friend’s pet swan. A.A. Milne was directly inspired by Winnie the Pooh and his son’s beloved stuffed animals.

The character Winnie-the-Pooh first appeared in a Christmas story published in 1925 by the London newspaper Evening News. Milne published the first full volume of stories in 1926 together with friends Piglet, Tigger, Rabbit and Eeyore.

Pooh’s tales have remained wildly popular for nearly 100 years. Most of us are familiar with Disney’s version of Winnie-the-Pooh, recognizable for his iconic red shirt. 

Ways to celebrate: read the stories or watch movies with family and friends.