Many people remember the character Linus from Charles Schulz’s iconic cartoon, Peanuts. What most people first associate with Linus is the ever-present security blanket that he carried around with him. A security blanket is traditionally a small blanket or piece of cloth that a child will carry around with them and clutch or stroke. The possession of the blanket gives the child a feeling of comfort and security, and helps children cope with anxiety and stressful situations. In fact, police and other first responders have been known to carry security blankets or objects such as stuffed animals in their vehicles to give to panicked children at the scene of a traumatic event. Almost every adult can remember an attachment to a certain object growing up, whether it is a blanket, stuffed animal, or something else.

Today’s children are no different. However, the sophistication and the marketing of infant and children’s security blankets have taken significant leaps forward over the past several years. Today one of the hottest products in the baby gift industry is the "Lovie." What on Earth is a Lovie you ask? A Lovie is essentially a stuffed animal with a cute head and arms, which then turns into a blanket somewhere around the mid-section. The blankets are typically made from very soft cloth, and most retailers offer personalized embroidery to make the Lovies that much more special to the child that receives them.

A wide variety of animal types are available through various online retailers, including ducks, bunnies, monkeys, elephants, bears, lambs, dogs, and more. A Lovie basically combines the two popular children’s items, a security blanket, and a stuffed animal, into one irresistible and suddenly wildly popular infant and toddler gift. They are a snuggly sleepytime friend for a child’s naptime. The cost of a Lovie tends to vary anywhere from about $15.00 on the low end to $30.00 on the high end.

A word of caution though, like the traditional security blanket, children can get heavily attached to their Lovies. There is not necessarily anything wrong with this until months of wear and tear start to make the stuffed animal blanket look like a nasty variation of a mechanic’s grease rag. One clever solution recommended by a parent online is to purchase two identical Lovies. That way, when one begins to get especially dirty, you can clandestinely switch out the offending blanket with a clean version. Then give the dirty one a thorough washing, and store it away until the switch needs to be made once more.

Like Linus, a child can get very irritable or upset if they become separated from their prized blanket, but don’t worry, everybody grows out of it eventually. In the meantime, a Lovie or security blanket can be a comforting and adorable gift for a young child.