It's hard to believe that Care Bears have been around for almost 30 years. It seems like only yesterday that the fuzzy little cheer-spreading bears were first introduced to the public. Today, if you're nostalgic about the "good old days" of when you were a child, or you just find them cute a loveable, you can even carry the Care Bears on your personal checks.

Care Bears were created in 1981 by the American Greetings Company. They were originally just supposed to be characters used on greeting cards. However, in 1983, due to their popularity, they were also turned into stuffed animals. Each Care Bear had a "tummy symbol" on its stomach that represented the bear's personality and mission. While every bear had a specific mission, they all worked together to bring caring and understanding into the world.

The Care Bears lived in Care-a-Lot, a fantasy world in the clouds. Their cousins, who were not only bears, lived nearby in the Forest of Feelings. The Care Bear Cousins were introduced in the first Care Bear movie. The original Care Bears consisted of Cheer Bear, Funshine Bear, Tenderheart Bear, Bedtime Bear, Grumpy Bear, Good Luck Bear, Birthday Bear, and Friend Bear.

The Care Bears also had their own movies including The Care Bears Movie, The Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation, and the Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland. In addition to this, they had their own TV show for three years in the mid-80's.

Since being introduced to the public, the Care Bears have been re-launched twice. Each time they are re-launched, new bears join the crew. As a result, a new generation has been able to enjoy them and there are now an abundance of bears to fit every type of situation.

The Care Bears are also known around the world and have fans in all corners of the earth. They can be found in such places as China, Iceland, Finland, Spain, France, Bulgaria, and the Czech Republic.

The Care Bear merchandise is nearly as popular as the Care Bear cartoons and movies. Who doesn't love these cute little good tiding spouting characters? If you, too, are a fan then there's no better way to share a Care Bear hug than to give out a personal check with their image. The checks generally come with Cheer Bear, Share Bear, Good Luck Bear, and Grumpy Bear.

The colorful checks also come complete with rainbows and heart, all part of the Care Bear world. Uplifting messages are included on some of the checks including "Caring is Sharing", "Have a Rainbow Day", and "Share Some Fun." Who couldn't resist smiling when handed one of these?

You might also want to think about purchasing a checkbook cover to go with your checks. Care Bear checkbook covers currently come in white leather and feature the original Care Bears. If you want to go a step further, a coin purse is also available with Grumpy Bear.

It has been expensive to order personal checks in the past, but now it isn't the case. You can now order online and save up to 50% off of the price that you would pay at your local bank branch. All you need is your bank account number and your routing number. Your checks can get to you in as little as 3-5 days.

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Click here to view all Care Bear checks.