30th Birthday Snuffles by GUND -- Review and Giveaway

When I was a child, GUND was THE brand for stuffed animals and teddy bears. Every one of my classmates knew the Gotta Getta Gund slogan, and when anyone received a GUND stuffed toy from a parent or relative who had recently traveled to the US, they were the envy of all the little girls.

It's amazing to think that decades have passed since we coveted those GUND toys -- and GUND toys still continue to be loved and cuddled by children today. In fact, the most successful and well-known bear in GUND’s 111-year history, Snuffles, celebrates his 30th birthday this year! And to commemorate the occasion, GUND has released a series of Birthday Snuffles bears, including:

* 13.5" 30th Birthday Limited Edition Signature Snuffles -- only 1,000 available.

* 10" 30th Birthday One-of-a-Kind Snuffles -- it's seriously one-of-a-kind because there's only 1 available, and it's worth $10,000. This extra-special Snuffles has white alpaca fur and black Tahitian pearl eyes, and he also wears a diamond necklace worth more than all of my jewelry put together!

For regular mortals like you and me, GUND also has 10" and 15" 30th Birthday Snuffles in caramel or chocolate colored plush fur. GUND invited me to join Snuffles' birthday celebration by sending me a 15" Birthday Snuffles -- and they're offering another one as a giveaway! Keep reading to find out how you can enter.....

The Basics
Here's more information about the 30th Birthday Snuffles:
Created in 1980, Snuffles, is a unique bear whose shape was inspired by a beautiful crescent moon and who appears to look up at whoever is hugging him. To date, over 3 million Snuffles have been sold worldwide as GUND continues to be one of the leading soft toy manufacturers in the United States, producing diverse lines of stuffed animals, accessories for newborns, babies, toddlers, preschoolers and plush fans of all ages, dating back to 1898.

A must-have for any teddy bear lover and especially any fan of Snuffles, 30th Birthday Snuffles is available in 15” and 10” in limited edition frosted-tip caramel or chocolate fur. Both come with a special 30th birthday commemorative medallion.


The Bongga
Snuffles is absolutely ADORABLE. I'm always extremely reluctant to let new animals join the kids' menagerie, because they have so many stuffed toys already -- but how could anyone resist this:



Snuffles has the sweetest little face, with just a hint of a warm, friendly smile that will put any child at ease. He's sooooo soft and squishy, it's impossible not to want to hug him:



My 3 kids have been fighting over who gets to sleep with Snuffles at night (and I'm using Snuffles to the fullest in order to get good behavior from all of them!). You can really tell that Snuffles is a high-quality bear, and I'm hoping he'll outlast my kids' affection and live long enough to make it to the next generation.



The Blah
At $25, the 10" Snuffles a lot more affordable than the blinged-out $10,000 version, but it's still a lot compared to the $10 and $15 bears out there. Then again, you get what you pay for -- and Snuffles is not the kind of bear you'll be giving away to charity after a year or two of play.


The Bottom Line
The 30th Birthday Snuffles is a must for any GUND fan, and it makes a wonderful present that any child will love. With this level of quality and cuteness, Snuffles is going to be around for the next 30 years and beyond!


Win 2 30th Birthday Snuffles bears
To celebrate Snuffles' 30th birthday, GUND is giving away a 30th Birthday Snuffles to one lucky Bonggamom Finds reader!

Update: I've just been informed that the winner will receive TWO Snuffles!! The winner is now twice as lucky -- he or she will receive a 15" chocolate 30th Birthday Snuffles and a 15" caramel 30th Birthday Snuffles.

Required Entry
Leave one comment on this post and tell me what was your favorite stuffed animal when you were growing up. This entry must be completed before extra entries qualify.


Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Write on Snuffles' Facebook Page, tell him that Bonggamom sent you, and wish him a Happy 30th Birthday (1 entry).

2) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):

I entered the 30th Birthday Snuffles giveaway! http://ow.ly/37DXg

3) Grab my blog button and post it up on your blog (1 entry).

4) Subscribe to Bonggamom Finds updates (1 entry).

5) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Networked Blogs (1 entry).

6) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger(1 entry).

7) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day, leave a comment with the tweet link for each tweet):

Win a 30th Birthday Snuffles bear by GUND, on @bonggafinds http://ow.ly/37DXg #giveaways

8) Join any of the giveaways currently running on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for each giveaway you've joined).




The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on November 29 , 2010; I will draw a winner at random on November 30 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received a product sample, but was not paid to review the product or give my opinions. Product information is provided by the featured company/product and is clearly indicated as such. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.