September 9 Celebrations: California Admission Day & National Teddy Bear Day

September 9 Celebrations: California Admission Day & National Teddy Bear Day

September 9 pairs a piece of state history with a soft, cuddly classic. California Admission Day marks the anniversary of California joining the Union, while National Teddy Bear Day celebrates the stuffed companion that has kept generations of kids, and more than a few adults, company through the years.

California Admission Day commemorates September 9, 1850, when California officially became the 31st state of the United States as part of the Compromise of 1850. The state skipped the usual territorial phase entirely, propelled by the Gold Rush, which had flooded the region with settlers faster than the normal admission process could keep up with. It remains a legal observance in California today, even though most schools, offices, and businesses stay open.

😄 Fun fact: California's "Bear Flag" flew over the White House on September 9, 1924, just to honor the date of the state's admission decades earlier.

Ways to celebrate:

• Learn a piece of California history you didn't know before
• Visit a local historical site or museum with California roots
• Fly or display a California state flag for the day

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National Teddy Bear Day honors one of childhood's most enduring toys. The teddy bear traces its name back to President Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt, after a widely told 1902 hunting trip where he refused to shoot a bear cub. Toymakers on both sides of the Atlantic, Morris Michtom in the United States and Richard Steiff in Germany, began producing stuffed bears around the same time, and the name stuck.

😄 Fun fact: Steiff's earliest teddy bears carried a small "Button in Ear" tag as a trademark, a detail the company still uses on its bears today.

Ways to celebrate:

• Dig out an old teddy bear from childhood and give it a place of honor
• Pick up a new teddy bear for a child, or for yourself
• Donate a stuffed bear to a children's hospital or shelter

💬 State pride or childhood nostalgia, which one's calling your name today?

From a state's 1850 admission to a stuffed bear that never goes out of style, September 9 has a little bit of everything.

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September 9 FAQ

Why is California Admission Day on September 9?

California officially became the 31st U.S. state on September 9, 1850, as part of the Compromise of 1850, and the date has been observed as California Admission Day ever since.

Is California Admission Day a public holiday?

It's a legal observance in California, but most schools, offices, and businesses remain open. Some municipalities, like Monterey, mark it with closures or special events.

Why is it called a "teddy" bear?

The name comes from President Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt, tied to a 1902 story about him refusing to shoot a bear cub while hunting, which inspired toymakers to create the first stuffed "Teddy's bears."

Who made the first teddy bears?

Morris Michtom in the United States and Richard Steiff in Germany are both credited with producing some of the earliest teddy bears, working independently around the same time.

What if today is my birthday?

If you're celebrating a birthday on September 9, check out our Birthday Gift Finder for your zodiac sign, birthstone, birth flower, and gift ideas specific to your day.

Some of the links in this post lead to books, tools, or products that can help you learn more about today's celebrations or put together your own version of them at home.

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September 9 Other Celebrations

International Sudoku Day gives puzzle fans a reason to pull out a grid and sharpen their logic skills for a few minutes, whether on paper or an app. The number-placement puzzle has built a loyal worldwide following since gaining popularity in the 2000s, prized for being simple to learn and endlessly challenging to master.

Care Bears™ Share Your Care Day leans into the message the Care Bears franchise has carried since the 1980s, encouraging fans of all ages to spread a little extra kindness, friendship, and caring to the people around them.

National Wiener Schnitzel Day honors the classic Austrian dish of thin, breaded, pan-fried veal, a staple of Austrian cuisine that has found its way onto menus well beyond Vienna.

National Grilled Chicken Day fires up the grill for one of the most versatile proteins around, celebrating everything from a quick weeknight dinner to a full backyard cookout spread.

🎂 If Your Birthday Is Today

Born on September 9? You share the day with a Virgo sun sign, and the numerology of the number 9 points to compassion, wisdom, and a natural pull toward finishing what you start and helping others along the way. Paired with Virgo's practical, detail-oriented streak, you get someone who leads with both heart and good judgment.

Your birthstone is sapphire, long associated with wisdom, loyalty, and clear communication. Your birth flowers are the aster, a star shaped bloom symbolizing wisdom and purity, and the morning glory, which stands for affection and a fresh start each morning it opens.

Looking for a gift that fits all three symbols at once? Sapphire blue jewelry or decor nods to the birthstone, the zodiac sign, and the deep blue purple tones asters and morning glories share in the garden. If you're drawn to crystal healing traditions, Virgo is also associated with a different set of stones, citrine, lapis lazuli, tiger's eye, garnet, green aventurine, and carnelian, each believed to support different aspects of the sign's energy.