This year marks the 100th anniversary of the beloved character Winnie-the-Pooh, created by author A.A. Milne. The iconic bear, known for his round shape and fondness for honey, first appeared in a book published on October 14, 1926. The creation of Winnie-the-Pooh was influenced by a particularly rainy summer holiday in 1923, when Milne and his family stayed in Porthmadog, near Snowdonia in North Wales.

During the holiday, Milne and his friend, actor-manager Nigel Playfair, were confined indoors by persistent rain. Milne described the experience in a letter, noting the continuous downpour and expressing his frustration with being stuck inside. This forced indoor retreat sparked Milne’s creativity, leading him to write a collection of children’s poems that appeared in the 1924 publication *When We Were Very Young.* One poem, “Teddy Bear,” introduced the idea of a chubby, inactive bear, which eventually inspired the character of Winnie-the-Pooh.

The name Winnie-the-Pooh was derived from Winnipeg, a bear Milne had seen at London Zoo. The stories also drew directly from Milne’s family, with his son Christopher Robin serving as the model for the character of the same name. Pooh’s companions, including Eeyore, Piglet, Kanga, and Roo, were based on Christopher Robin's own toys.

The weather during that rainy Welsh holiday also influenced the tone of the stories. One chapter famously describes incessant rainfall, with Piglet remarking on the unusual amount of rain and Eeyore offering a hopeful comment that “The nicest thing about the rain is that it always stops. Eventually.” The character Owl also provides a humorous commentary on the persistent bad weather, referring to the “unfavourable” atmospheric conditions that have kept everyone indoors.

In one memorable scene prompted by rising floodwaters, Pooh devises a rescue plan using Christopher Robin’s umbrella turned upside down as a makeshift boat, allowing the characters to float to safety. This imaginative response reflects the enduring charm and whimsy that have made Winnie-the-Pooh a treasured figure in children’s literature for a century.