Merry Christmas Mr. Mouse
Caralyn Buehner and Mark Buehner
For those of you who wonder if the legend of animals talking at midnight on Christmas Eve is true, here’s another “what if” question for you. What if mice celebrate Christmas?
Caralyn and Mark Buehner of those delightful “Snowmen” books have picture book imagined that exact scenario. And it’s sugar plum sweet.
Picture a “raggedy alley mouse” and family, discovering a warm spot beneath a house stove, that just “came on the market”, so to speak. And in they move, just before Christmas.
It’s a sort of Upstairs/Downstairs for mice as they discover some grand excitement going on above floor.
There’s an enormous tree, twinkling lights, the smell of cookies baking and they want to know “What makes this night special?”
Creeping above, Mouse learns the story of the shepherds and wise men seeking a child. And he hears of the angels and the birth of the “Lord of the earth” and that the lights, songs, and giving of gifts are in celebration of His birth!
You can learn a lot when you just listen, and this Mouse does. He hears tell of Santa’s naughty/nice list, and he relays to his Mrs. M what has prompted all the joy, love and celebration.
So, isn’t it sort of natural that she’d reply:
Then Mrs. Mouse smiled. I’ve a grand idea!
And this is just what we’ll do:
We’ll put up a tree in our little nook
And celebrate Christmas too!
And in nook #24, the Christmas prep begins, mouse style! But first they must “bell the cat.” No sense in being a feast for a furry black and white feline, just before the big day!
Every detail of the upstairs Christmas is duplicated – mouse style. Games ensue, brightly wrapped packages passed, stockings are hung (just in case) and the ancient story is retold of the first Christmas.
But a question still looms in the air. Will Santa appear in a mouse domicile? Relax! Santa forgets nobody – even the cute rodents will be rewarded for their efforts on Christmas.
I knew mice liked cheese! But Santa deduces that chocolate chips also make great stocking stuffers for the small celebrating vermin. Who knew?
The Buehners make #24 a mouse nook that will be a family favorite this, and every Christmas hence!
And as a special treat, see if you can help kids find the cat, rabbit and T-Rex, hidden on each page of the story of this movable mouse family.
I must candidly admit that I am terrible at these sorts of things, but kids will inevitably squeal, “I found them ALL!”
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