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Cookie the gingerbread plushie steals people's hearts online

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Culture & Trends


COOKIE THE GINGERBREAD PLUSHIE STEALS PEOPLE'S HEARTS ONLINE

The blue-eyed toy from Ty went viral last week thanks to one X user's post.

"saw this guy and said Ew ew ew ew ew ew ugly and then felt so bad i cried and
bought him," Devin Silva wrote Friday on X.Devin Silva
 * 
 * 
 * 
 * 
 * 
 * 

Dec. 19, 2024, 1:31 AM GMT+1
By Daysia Tolentino

At first glance, Devin Silva described the brown plushie toy they spotted at CVS
as “ugly.” With its big blue eyes and embroidered frosting details, Silva said
it looked “weirdly shaped” and “kind of like a dog.”  

But Silva, 18, decided to get the toy anyway, and posted a picture to X about
the purchase. 




“saw this guy and said Ew ew ew ew ew ew ugly and then felt so bad i cried and
bought him,” Silva wrote Friday on X.

AdChoices
REKLAMA



Then the responses began flooding in — by Wednesday, over 27 million people had
viewed the original post on X. Within days, the Ty toy has gained a cult
following similar to its predecessor: the classic Beanie Baby. It has been
flying off the shelves, with more people joining Silva in posting pictures of it
online after they purchased it.

“just so you know i woke up from a bad dream and immediately looked up this post
so he can cheer me up and it’s working,” wrote one X user. 

“despite the adversity, he still manages to put on a genuine smile his willpower
brings me to tears,” wrote another. 



Cookie has sold out online and been restocked twice since Silva posted about it,
according to posts on Ty’s X account. Ty even gave Silva a shout-out, thanking
them “for showing the internet the cuteness of Cookie.”



Many people have posted artistic renditions of the plushie, including a crochet
version of him. Some have made fan edits. On Reddit, one user posted to ask
where they can find Cookie in stores. Cookie has even been described by some
fans online as a “celebrity.”

Silva, who did not expect such an overwhelming response, has continued to post
photos of Cookie joining them for various meals. The teenager said they think
people online gravitated toward Cookie’s redemption arc, from being called
“ugly” to becoming so beloved.

“Especially nowadays, we really needed something just to laugh about,” Silva
said.

Cookie is technically a Beanie Belly, not a Beanie Baby. The latest version of
Beanies, which were unveiled in 2021, “are made from the softest material ever
used in Ty’s company history,” the company said in a news release at the time. 

Ty's website markets Cookie as "sweet as can be, with frosting details and a
warm, gingerbread smile." He "loves holiday carols and cozy evenings by the
fire," the description states.



Inside Cookie's tag, a poem reads:

"Put milk out for Santa


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"And some sweet treats, too

"Let’s wait for the presents

"That he’ll bring for you"

Some X users noted under Silva’s post that the plush appeared misshapen and
disproportionate — which is precisely why others have said they like it.



“People like me who are neurodivergent or have ADHD or anything like that, we
feel such strong emotions,” Silva added. “And sometimes we feel things like that
towards inanimate objects, which is why a lot of us collect trinkets and stuff.
I think a lot of people just really resonated with that.”



Silva said they’ve gotten in contact with Ty about potentially getting swag from
the company, although they have not received anything yet.

A spokesperson for Ty said the company "couldn't be more thrilled" about the X
community's embrace of Cookie "as their new friend."

The company reiterated its "heartfelt gratitude" to Silva, "whose imaginative
and humorous content introduced Cookie to a wider audience."

"We are thankful to everyone who has shared their creativity and love for
Cookie," the company said in an email statement on Thursday. "We hope this
festive spirit continues, spreading joy and Christmas cheer far and wide!”

Next on Silva’s list of holiday purchases: Cookie’s “big brother,” Nutmeg, who
is a slightly bigger gingerbread from Ty’s Beanie Boo collection. They plan on
making a visit to their local CVS stores and other Beanie Bellies retailers to
see if Cookie is sold out.



“That’d be really cool to see how far it reached,” Silva said.


Daysia Tolentino

Daysia Tolentino is a culture and internet reporter for NBC News.



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