teddy bear's picnic

If you go down in the woods today

You're sure of a big surprise.

If you go down in the woods today

You'd better go in disguise.

For ev'ry bear that ever there was

Will gather there for certain, because

Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.

Ev'ry teddy bear who's been good

Is sure of a treat today.

There's lots of marvelous things to eat

And wonderful games to play.

Beneath the trees where nobody sees

They'll hide and seek as long as they please

That's the way the teddy bears have their picnic.

Picnic time for teddy bears

The little teddy bears are having a lovely time today

Watch them, catch them unawares

And see them picnic on their holiday.

See them gaily gad about

They love to play and shout;

They never have any cares;

At six o'clock their mummies and daddies,

Will take them home to bed,

Because they're tired little teddy bears.

If you go down in the woods today

You'd better not go alone.

It's lovely down in the woods today

But safer to stay at home.

For ev'ry bear that ever there was

Will gather there for certain, because

Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.

I love Henry Hall's Teddy Bear's picnic song. It makes me smile and I think of paisley blankets on grass, plastic tea cups, egg and cress sandwiches, cake and teddy bears. I think of growing up reading Enid Blyton. Of the Magic Faraway Tree. Of the Famous Five and their adventures. Of Mallory Towers and their midnight feasts. It's odd living in London now, and remembering the picture I had as a child of what England would be like. All I can say is – where are the endless picnics in the woods and everyone eating blancmange and macarons? It was a great mystery to me as a child, what blancmange and macarons were – none of the adults really knew and I made up in my head what they looked like. One of the first questions I asked an English person when I first moved to london was – what one earth is blancmange? No offence to those who love blancmange, but I must say, it was nothing like what I thought it'd be like and i'm still getting over the disappointment.

I digress. It wasn't quite the Teddy Bear's picnic. But we had egg and cress sandwiches and cake. And adult tea cups. Mrs Eclectic Elephant has been very much pregnant and it was her baby shower. She was brave enough to trust me with the baking so I arrived with scones, a lemon cake, mushroom and crab tarts and coffee chocolate cupcakes. and these teddy bear cookies.

all the best Mr and Mrs Eclectic Elephant. And to Baby Yowser, I can’t wait to meet you.

get me outta here!