The Teddy Bear House Museum is offering something most people have never experienced before, a teddy bear Christmas Extravaganza.
At The Teddy Bear House Museum, patrons can experience a Christmas display full of over 6,000 decorated bears in every room, museum owner Ricky Lenart said.
“This is the best time to come and visit the museum because everything is just so beautiful and vibrant,” Lenart said.
When Lenart displayed his teddy bear collection in the original Teddy Bear House Museum in New Orleans, he said the Christmas Extravaganza was a huge attraction and the start of the museum’s early success.
“It all started out with the Christmas theme. At the beginning, that was pretty much all we did was a display for Christmas. But since it was a lot of fun we decided to expand it each year,” Lenart said. “Last year was huge compared to all the other previous years and we have even more in store for visitors this year.”
Unlike previous years, every room in the museum will be filled with Christmas decorations. Also, the outside of the museum will be embellished with festive lights, lit up bears and a number of animated bears featured in the window displays, just like the “good ole times,” Lenart said.
The Christmas Extravaganza brings in people from all ages, Lenart said. “The museum is a place where you can go to make new memories and reminisce on old ones,” Lenart said. “It’s truly a magical place and is something unlike anything the average person has experienced for the holidays.”
Lenart said the perfect Christmas gift for a young child is a teddy bear or stuffed animal for a lot of reasons. Primarily, it provides a sense of comfort for the child and is something they can “snuggle up with,” he said. Also, it’s something that can be cherished for a lifetime.
“We’ve all had that toy or stuffed animal when we were young that shaped our childhood life. It’s just a happy and joyful gift and that is why we invite everyone to come devote a little Christmas cheer with their loved ones at the Extravaganza,” Lenart said.
The Teddy Bear House Museum’s Christmas Extravaganza will be on display until Jan. 8 and is located at 1299 South Haugh Avenue in Picayune. The Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 12-5 p.m. on Sunday and closed on Monday.