Teddy Bear Hunt Has Spread to Iceland

Since a ban on public gatherings took effect in Iceland a couple of weeks ago, numerous families in the capital area have placed teddy bears and other stuffed animals in their window sills to the delight of passers-by, Morgunblaðið reports.

This allows children, who are on their way to school or taking a walk with their parents, to search for teddy bears in windows and count the ones they see.

Surely, the teddy bear hunt brightens their day. And they are not the only ones on a teddy bear hunt. There are similar reports from the US , New Zealand and Canada – just to name a few countries.

In warmer climates , teddy bears have been popping up in gardens and on fences as well. No matter what country they’re in, their presence is appreciated.

No one seems to know whose idea it was originally to cheer up the world this way. The first teddy-bear-in-window case spread to Iceland through Facebook, where Ninna Karla Katrínardóttir was exposed to it. Through Facebook, she encouraged people in her neighborhood to adopt the idea, which was well received.

Regardless of its origin, one thing is certain: the habit is spreading as fast as a virus, and the smiles it creates are highly contagious.