When I was a little kid--maybe six or seven years old-- I had a good friend who really liked mice. She and I would pretend that we actually
were mice, and we'd play through imaginary scenarios where evil cats (our older sisters) were chasing us or we had to go on an epic journey to find cheese (chocolate). We had a lot of fun together. One year, this friend came for a sleepover at my house the week before Christmas. My family had all of our Christmas decorations out, including a cute little mini tree that came with colorful lights attached to the branches. My friend thought that this was a perfect mouse-sized tree--and it was. We became obsessed with the tree and played with it all afternoon. As our game developed, we began to convince ourselves that mice had their own version of Christmas...which just happened to be the next day. This idea was beyond thrilling. By evening, we were dancing around the mini tree, chanting little songs and declaring that it was Mouse Christmas Eve: the night Santa Mouse would come bearing gifts for all of the well-behaved mouse children. We were so excited, and we were so sure that Santa Mouse would come.
The thing is, Santa Mouse
did come that night. When my friend and I woke up the next morning and rushed into the living room to look at the tree, there were a handful of miniature
wrapped presents underneath! We were beside ourselves. Each of the tiny packages had an even tinier gift inside--perfect for a pair of mouse friends.
To this day, I still have no idea how my parents pulled off Santa Mouse's late night, last-minute visit. What I do know is that the wonder of that morning gave me an enduring respect for the magic of Christmas--and a passion for tiny presents. Every time I see a small package that might contain a mystery gift, I remember my childhood friend and our Santa Mouse. In today's post, I'll de-box a couple of dolls (mostly Barbies) that come with little gift boxes. Some of these gift boxes might have a secret present inside...some might be empty props. But never fear! If any of the boxes yield disappointment, Santa Mouse will come to the rescue and make sure there's a good surprise for all of you to see.
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| 2000 Holiday Surprise Barbie (with gift). |
