Bearista Tales

Year of the Tiger Bearista (2010)

90th Edition in the Bearista Bear Series

This Year of the Tiger Bearista was released in Asia for the Chinese New Year in 2010. He is wearing a plush orange tiger suit with black tiger stripes on his arms, chest and legs. The hood of the costume is embroidered in red and yellow-gold, with white puffs. It has orange flame-y "eyes" sewn onto it as well as flames on the forehead. The costume has paws with three claws on each hand and each foot. The feet are done in red cloth with yellow-gold stitching. He wears a hang tag in his left ear and has a cloth tag with Starbucks Coffee Company 2010 on it. Thanks to CV for the picture.

Year of the Ox Bearista (2009)

82nd Edition in the Bearista Bear Series

This Year of the Ox Bearista was released in Asia for the Chinese New Year in 2009. He is wearing a reddish-brown ox costume. The costume features horns on the top of the head, a tuft of fur in the middle, and oxen ears. He has an ox nose covering his real nose, and the body of the ox costume features more fur and contrasting darker-brown hands and feet. He has a bronze fabric bell around his neck with the Chinese symbol for Ox printed on it. The same symbol appears on the hangtag attached to the left ear of his costume. Her also has a cloth tag on his left foot paw. Thanks to Sheril for the picture.

Year of the Dragon Bearista (2000)

This Dragon Bearista was released internationally in the winter of 2000 to commemorate the Year of the Dragon. He did not have an official edition number. This bearista is extremely rare and difficult to find. Dragon Bearista is wearing an elaborate Asian Dragon costume in red plush, and comes complete with striped horns, big eyes with long lashes, and yellow tusks. His ears are lined in a pink plus that also is on his paws. His torso is covered in an orange plus. He has felt claws on his aws and arms. His head pokes out of the dragon costume's mouth. Thanks to Madfishmatt for the photo.

Year of the Pig Bearista (2007)

56th Edition in the Bearista Bear Series

This Year of the Pig Bearista was released in Asia for the Chinese New Year in 2007. He is clad in a bright red rat costume. His hood has red pig ears with pink silk linings. The costume has black paws and feet, and a white belly. It has embroidery on the arms and legs as well. He has an pink pig's nose attached by elastic to his face. He carries a red silk lantern in his right paw. On his left foot paw he has a cloth tag, and he has a tag attached to his left ear as well. Thanks to Lily for the photo.

Year of the Rat Bearista (2008)

72nd Edition in the Bearista Bear Series

I've been slacking on posting lately and I have a lot of great pictures of bearistas I have to put up. But, Chinese New Year is coming up on Thursday (Feb 7) and in honor of the upcoming holiday I am posting the Year of the Rat bearista pictures sent in by Jen (Thanks Jen!).

This is the 2008 Chinese year of the Rat Bearista. He is clad in rat costume. He is also wearing a traditional Chinese outfit and is holding a special knot (aka “Yu Yee” in Chinese) that symbolizes happiness and togetherness. His Chinese symbol “the rat” is sewn on the knot in Chinese. He also has a mouse nose that is attached by elastic bands that he can put on and take off.  The Rat is the first animal in the Chinese zodiac. Traditional stories about the zodiac told of a great race that the little rat and the other 11 animals were participating in. Despite his size, the little rat outran everyone in the race.  That is why he is the first animal in the Chinese zodiac.

New Asian Releases

The newest Starbucks bearistas are launching in Asia. In fact, a little bird tells me that the Year of the Rat Bearista (72nd edition) is already sold out. Bearistas #70 and 71 are the boy and girl Valentine's Bearistas. All three of these bears are already available on eBay. The Valentine's Day bears are also available as magnets.

Year of the Dog Bearista

48th Edition in the Bearista Bear Collection

In addition to his dog costume, the Year of the Dog Bearista wears a collar with the Chinese character "Dog" on it. He also carries a Chinese lantern with the same character on it.

Like the other Chinese New Year bearistas, he was released only in Asia. (Thanks again to Jen for the photo!)