California bear collector, Marcy Cook, started her teddy bear collection over 30 years ago. The math teacher who instructs other math teachers, has more than 3,458 stuffed bears in her collection which creates special holiday magic for passers by each year at Christmas time. She just finished the touches on her Christmas Bear and Lights Display, appearing on the Bayfront (a few blocks from Balboa Island Ferry) overlooking Newport Harbor during the annual Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade.

BARE FACTS ABOUT THE BEARS:

855 Bears were added to the regularly displayed 1, 142 bears last year.
There are no expensive bears in the collection–just ordinary, fun stuffed animals.
There are some duplicates. As Cook travels, she occasionally forgets which bears she has and accidentally buys the same kind again.
You can see the bears year-round waving to passers by from windows at the Balboa Island waterfront home.