The Christmas Mouse

Santa does not visit our house.  We have a Christmas Mouse.  The Christmas Mouse has been visiting our house for the past five years.  It started off as an innocent comment when Ana (then age 2) asked me how the presents showed up under our tree on Christmas morning.  I made some sort of comment that perhaps a mouse brought them.  I thought nothing more of it until about six months later Ana started talking about the mouse that brought her presents.  The present bringing mouse became the Christmas Mouse.  That following November, Ana and I were home alone and we saw a mouse skitter across our dining room floor and hide behind a basket of toys in the corner.  I took off after it with one of the kid's wooden swords and tried to bonk it, but it was too quick.  It then ran into the livingroom and under the couch.  Ana was intently watching this whole scene without comment. 

Once the mouse was safely tucked away under the couch, Ana asked, "Was that the Christmas Mouse?"  I told her I wasn't sure, but maybe it was.  She then told me that the Christmas Mouse was not going to bring me any presents because I tried to kill it.  Over the next month, she would randomly remind me that the Christmas Mouse didn't like me and wouldn't bring me any presents now.  One night, while she was telling Aaron about how much the Christmas Mouse didn't like me, he suggested that maybe if we made the Christmas Mouse some cookies as a way of saying sorry that the mouse would forgive me and not be so angry with me anymore.  Ana thought that was a good idea.  Aaron quickly added that he thought molasses crinkle cookies would be a kind of cookie that the mouse would really enjoy eating.  So we made some molasses cookies and left two out on a plate and put it on the floor by the couch - that's where the mouse lives afterall.  The next morning, only a few crumbs were left on the plate and Ana was happy that the mouse had forgiven me.  

And that started our yearly tradition of leaving some cookies out in front of the couch for the Christmas Mouse on Christmas Eve as he comes bringing presents.  Since we've added a cat to our household, the last few years, we've put a laundry basket over the cookies at night.  The mouse can get through the holes and eat in peace, safe from any hungry cats.  We also have started leaving a little dish of water out since we thought the poor mouse would be thirsty after eating so many cookies.  And every year, all that's left of the cookies the next morning are some crumbs.  Here is last year's plate leftovers.

Ana occasionally wonders aloud if the Christmas Mouse is really real.  Here is what she told me earlier this year during one of her wondering sessions.  She said, "When I'm sixteen, don't buy me any presents.  And if nothing shows up on Christmas morning, then I'll know that the Christmas Mouse isn't real.  And I'll have enough money by then that I can go and buy myself some presents if I don't get any that year."