Celebrated annually on September 9th, Care Bears Share Your Care Day is a holiday that encourages people to go out into the world and spread caring. For those individuals who aren’t familiar with the Care Bears—they’re a toy line and cartoon that was introduced during the 1980s to teach children all over the world about caring.

These bears started out as multi-colored characters painted by artist Elena Kucharik and were used on greeting cards produced by the American Greetings card company in 1981. Two years later, they became plush teddy bears, and two years after that, they starred in their own animated television show.

The History Of Care Bears Share Your Care Day

We’ve already covered the history of the Care Bears—from their inception as a greeting card character in 1981 through to their animated series, which began in 1985 and ended in 1988. Care Bear fans might even know that they starred in three of their own feature films as well.

These films were The Care Bears Movie in 1985; Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation in 1986; and The Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland in 1987. What fans might not realize is that in 2015, the American Greetings card company created Care Bears Share Your Care Day.

Some Quick Facts About Care Bears

Below are some quick facts about Care Bears:

• Care Bears each had their own color, a different symbol on their stomachs, and distinct personalities.
• As their name suggests, their main purpose was to spread caring.
• Their movie was one of the first to be based on a toy.
• Some Care Bear merchandise produced during the 1980s is now considered highly valuable.

Observing Care Bears Share Your Care Day

This day can be observed by taking the time to do something nice for someone else. This can be as simple as helping an elderly neighbor with their groceries or by tipping a delivery driver a little extra. It’s also a good day to show you care via social media by using the hashtag #CareBearsShareYourCareDay.