One of my very favorite Christmas traditions every year is to put up my Mouse tree!  Yes, I said MOUSE tree!  It is a sweet connection to my dear friend, Kathy, and our rich friendship that now spans 4 decades!

And, it is a precious reminder of the years we both lived in beautiful Wisconsin where our friendship was born in 1981.   Kathy started giving me these darling hand made mice in the 1980’s for a

Christmas gift each year. She has kept this tradition going through the decades and my mouse tree collection has grown to now include over 60 of these hand-sown little creatures, each with its own unique identity and theme!

There is a Bride, Nurse, Doctor, Angel, Santa, Green Bay Packer football player, Cop, Dorothy and the Lion from the Wizard of Oz, a Skier, Trick-or-Treater, Fireman, 60’s Poodle-skirt Dancer, Soldier, Pilgrim,

Choir singer, Tennis player, and Jester to name a few!  These Cathedral Mice were originally created by Dorothy Duket, a member of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin for her

annual church fair.  They were an instant hit and became so popular, eventually a team of over 50 workers were hired to meet the demand of making over 5000 mice each year.  Each mouse has its own

distinct personality that comes through the carefully crafted clothing, and tiny props.  If you are interested in starting your own collection or want to start one for your girlfriend, contact the website at:  www.cathedralmice.com

My holiday wish for you is that this brings you as much joy and delight as my Cathedral Mice collection has brought to me through the years!  With my love and forever gratitude to my dear friend, Kathy