WHO will you hug first when cuddles return in Glasgow? Your mum? One of your grans? Maybe even a lifelong pal?
Well, what about a giant green bear?
That's exactly what you can do today in the city after a huge cuddly toy appeared in Cathedral Precinct.
The teddy has been placed by online giant AO to give locals the chance to enjoy some much needed hugging practice before the real deal returns on Monday.
It comes after research by the retailer revealed the UK is a nation of "huggers" with almost two thirds admitting they have missed physical contact during lockdown.
Donna Dawson, psychologist, said: “It’s been a difficult year, and the lack of social interaction hasn’t made it any easier. ‘Hugging’ is that close physical embrace which we use to convey friendship and affection.
"When we hug someone, we are sending various messages: how much that person means to us, how glad we are to see them, and how much we have missed them.”
Bear, the AO Teddy, has also been placed in cities including Manchester and London to offer hope to passers-by and symbolise that cautious cuddles are indeed making a much-anticipated return to our lives.
David Lawson, AO.com managing director said: “AO is proud to have launched Bear: the AO Teddy today – to ensure this nation of hug-lovers can get some practice in before Monday’s cautious return to hugging."
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