175 Years of Harrods: Meet the Harrods Bears

The Harrods bear is named Henry, after our founder Charles Henry Harrod. He’s quintessentially British and designed with intricate details that reference the storied history of Harrods – from our instantly recognisable green men to the archival patterns you’ll find across our emporium.    

In 1906, the first Harrods bear appeared in a catalogue of magical toys. By 1921, the Harrods bear had attracted the attention of English writer A.A Milne, who purchased one for his son – and this same bear went on to inspire A.A Milne’s famous Winne-the-Pooh character. 

Every year since 1986, we’ve introduced a new Christmas bear. Each one is named after a historical figure, department or activity associated with Harrods and is finished with gold embroidery on its paw to mark the year of its release. The first was Snowy, a bright white iteration clad in a red patterned scarf and hat. For 2023, we welcomed Ethan to our grand line-up of furry friends, who wears a knitted red jumper and Harrods hat. So much has evolved over our extraordinary 175-year history, but the enchantment of a Harrods bear remains. Reinvented year after year, he’s a symbol of nostalgia and a unique way of commemorating wonderful Christmases gone by. Discover some of our most popular annual Christmas bears below.