My Polar Bear Christmas Decor display came about when I decided to use the old fishing bait bucket, a rusted red lantern, and these sweet Polar Bears I bought years ago.
I bought the Mama Polar Bear and her cub several years ago at gift shop at Texas Corners outside of Kalamazoo Michigan for any of you who are familiar with that area.
Having lived in the Sub-Arctic, it has always been a dream of mine to just travel a little further north and have the thrill of seeing a Polar Bear in person!
What about you, would you like to meet a real live Polar Bear?
While I was working as Manager at the Northern Images Gallery in Yellowknife, NWT gifts pertaining to the Polar Bear were one of our more popular sales items.
Customers especially liked the whimsical sculptures of a Dancing Polar Bear . I sold many of those.
Another favourite was Walrus tusk earrings shaped as Polar Bears for women.
The Inuit name for the Polar Bear is Nanuk (Master of Bears.)
And in poetry one is called Pihoqahiak-the ever wandering one.
I have to admit I watch as many documentaries as I can to learn more about these beautiful creatures.
Here are a few facts I've gathered about Nanuk:
1) 60 percent live in Canada
2) A Polar Bear paw can be up to a 12 inch span
3) The largest recorded PB weighed 2,209 lbs and measured 12 foot long
4)Males are 2-3 times larger than females
5) PB can swim up to 100km or 60 miles
6) PB spend so much time in the water and on ice that scientist consider them marine animals,
Polar Bears scientific name is Ursus Maritimus
7) Our Canadian Toonie (two dollar coin) has the beautiful Polar Bear depicted on it!
Now if anyone starts a conversation with you about Polar Bears you have no excuse for not sounding like an expert in that area, my friends.
I hope you don't mind me blathering on about them.
I am, admittedly, in awe at the imagination of our Lord in creating such an wonderful and amazing animal.
Kuvianak Inovia
"Koo-vi-a-nak-In-o-vi-a"
Merry Christmas
Kimberly
Wow..I don't mind admitting I found all of this REALLY interesting. I had NO idea they were soo big, nor that they could swim soo far. My 9 year old grandson would find all of this fascinating, so I hope I remember all of these facts to pass on to him. I agree, isn't God awesome in his creations? loved your little creation of them btw. Enjoy the rest of your day!
ReplyDeleteThey are amazing and beautiful animals, but I would not want to meet one. :-) Not sure you should either... remember that time the bear came down the track when your husband made a little stop in the woods... ;-)
ReplyDeleteMy favorite kind of decorating is with unusual found objects, so I really love your Christmas décor with that awesome old bait bucket and the Polar bears! Adorable! We have seen polar bears at the Detroit Zoo, they are absolutely beautiful. In fact, there is a clear tunnel under the exhibit that you can walk through and see the Polar Bears as they swim above you, it's fantastic to get to see them so close:>)
ReplyDeleteGreat information, Kimberly!
ReplyDeleteI...too, am an avid fan of the Polar Bear...
Truly a magnificent creature♥
Love the red with the Bears...
Enjoy your week...
Cheers!
Linda :o)
Loved the post, as I do love Polar Bears to...Blessings Francine.
ReplyDeletePolar bears are so neat. I love yours!
ReplyDeletePolar bears are such amazing animals. I love your display. xo Laura
ReplyDeleteI love your polar bears and bait pail, Kimberly. The vignette is really sweet. I would love to see a real polar bear in it's environment from a safe distance and with my camera in hand. That would be amazing. Interesting facts you shared. Are you about ready for Christmas? Have a blessed week. Pamela
ReplyDeleteVery interesting, indeed! Wow, 60% living in Canada...makes me proud!
ReplyDeleteLovely vignette; I'm sure your pretty polar bears are very comfy there!
Poppy
What great info about the Polar Bears, Kimberly… I love your decorations also… BUT--I had to smile that you bought the polar bears at a place with "Texas" in its name… ha ha
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas.
Hugs,
Betsy
I love your new header and your Polar Bear decor! I never get tired of learning new facts especially about animals that I don't hear enough facts about...like how the polar bear can swim 60 miles wow! xo
ReplyDeleteLove your Christmas decoration and loved learning more about polar bears...a favorite!!
ReplyDeleteYou and Donna would get along famously (Cottage Days and Journeys). She and her husband love to visit Churchill, Manitoba. While your display is darling, it's as close to a polar bear as I ever need to be.
ReplyDeleteKimberly,
ReplyDeleteI love how you decorated using the can and bear, it's beautiful.
I've always had a fascination about polar bears too!!!!
Stay warm, and enjoy your Christmas
It was interesting reading about the polar bears. I found it amazing that they can swim 60 miles. Love your pretty display with the PBs!
ReplyDeleteAww I love polar bears and your cute polar bear decor!
ReplyDeleteI just love your sweet Polar Bear decor - perfect for Winter and Christmas time :) I also enjoyed reading about Polar Bears and found it quite interesting. I will have to read it to my son :)
ReplyDeleteHugs to you!
If you ever get a chance to go to Churchill to see the polar bears - GO! They are awesome bears. We have gone twice, and wouldn't hesitate to go again, LOL. Natural Habitat Adventures do the best tours and will outfit you. I plan to feature more polar bear photos this winter on my blog.
ReplyDeleteI would love to see a polar bear but not up close! We did see two at the Kansas City Zoo but I felt so sorry for them - all cooped up. They had a nice place for them, but one of them was just pacing back and forth. :(
ReplyDeleteHow far would you have to drive to see them in the wild?
The Central Park Zoo in New York City has a wonderful polar bear exhibit.A visitor can go downstairs where there are large windows and see the bears swimming. They come right up to the glass and look so graceful!
ReplyDeleteCute décor!
ReplyDeleteI would love to take one of those polar bear expeditions. The ones where they go out in those huge tundra vehicles, and observe the polar bears. That would be awesome!!
Thanks for the info. too.
Pretty amazing creatures.
Merry Christmas!
Love the minnow bucket and bears. Now I live near Kazoo and have never heard of Texas Corners.... will have to check it out.
ReplyDeleteThere's just something so 'grounded' about the look of a polar bear.
ReplyDeleteWell I already have 2 red lanterns so I can definitely take this idea and run with it. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI never knew much about polar bears - thanks for the facts.
ReplyDeleteI have one stuffed polar bear and one polar bear ornament, but they didn't make it down from the attic this year. Maybe I should go get them.
Everything at your house looks lovely.
Cute polar bear decoration, Kimberly. You have a real knack for decorating.
ReplyDeleteHow interesting! We fell in love with a polar bear named Cedric at the NC Zoo a few years ago! They sure are endearing creatures!
ReplyDeleteKimberly, the graphics on your bait bucket are fabulous! I too decorated with my two minnow buckets and a few lanterns this year. The vignette is perfect for your darling polar bears! I did know a few facts, like the male bigger than the female and them being able to swim a long ways. Learned a lot more today about Polar Bears. Thanks and have a very Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeletehugs,
Jann
I guess I never thought about meeting up with a polar bear but I'd freeze like a Popsicle and hope it didn't see me! I like your minnow bucket and polar bear figurines. Too bad my husband didn't keep his old one.
ReplyDeleteThey are amazing creatures, aren't they. We have them in our zoo, I've seen them there, but really I would like to see them in their natural habitat.
ReplyDeleteChurchill, MB is famous for having polar bears in the city at times. They live in the Hudson Bay, that Churchill is built on the shores of.
Our zoo is soon to open "Journey to Churchill", where there will be several Polar Bears in as close to their natural habitat as can possibly be recreated.
Have a wonderful day!
Cindy
I like polar bears too, and when I was a kid there was this insurance company and the guy must have been a hunter because he had a giant stuffed one in his office. It must have been 10 feet tall. It was standing on its hind legs with its paws out. Yes, I would like to see one from one of those cages that photographers use to get pictures of them. I would also like to sleep in and Igloo too.
ReplyDeleteI will take a picture of mine and do a post. :) I have one my daughter made for me.
I liked your photos and I liked learning about polar bears.
You and me both! I almost got to Churchill one time but never made it. I'm always sharing the polar bear pics on FB from Mother Nature Network (MNN)...I can't help it..I love them. I remember reading a book as a child called "Nanuk of the North". Your statues are precious and your mantel looks so cool...right up my alley!
ReplyDelete