I am so excited to share this amazing product with you today. It is a Christmas product and I usually do not like to do much Christmas this early, but this product is wonderful and I want you to have a chance to get it in case they run out! Everyone who we have shared it with wants to get one and I have already ordered another set for a Christmas gift. Yes, this product is that great. I am sure you have heard of Elf on the Shelf. Well, I find the Elf on the Shelf a little creepy and refuse to have one in my house. I love seeing what people do with their elf however and think it would be fun to be able to be creative. And now Oriental Trading has come out with a wonderful religious replacement for the Elf on the Shelf!! They call it The Mouse and the Miracle, but I like to say we have a Mouse in the House. (What can I say, I like to rhyme.) Without further ado, meet Holy!!
Now Holy is a mouse who likes to travel. He has on his back his backpack. And there is a lovely book you can buy with the mouse (as a set for $16.99 or separately). What is special about this mouse is that during his travels he met Joseph and Mary on their way to Bethlehem and they took him with them on their journey. Therefore he was there to see the birth of Jesus. He also saw the shepherds and wisemen as well as the angels singing. He knew he witnessed a miracle and now travels to share the news about Jesus with everyone. Therefore on his backpack is a cross.
When we first got our mouse and book, we read the story and then Hazel insisted on sleeping with Holy that night and told me I could hide him the next night. The next day Holy and his book had to go to school with Hazel. Her teacher read the book to the class and now she wants to get one for her nephew and niece. (Hazel goes to a Christian school, so it was appropriate to share with the school.) When I picked her up at school several of her friends came over to say goodbye to Holy and touch him one last time.
Now I try to hide him each night and each day when she is at school. One of Hazel's favorite things is to play a hunt like Easter egg hunts. She is a realist and when we read the book and it mentioned the mouse would move around the house, she said she knew I would be moving him since stuffed animals cannot move. (She has also been asking if the tooth fairy is real--she is only five and has only lost two teeth and she has already figured it out. Ugh!) Well, Holy has found some fun places to be.
He wanted to watch television in the family room of her dollhouse.
He helped Steve make his coffee one Saturday morning (so I knew Hazel would be with Steve).
He chatted with the angel at the top of Hazel's Christmas/All Year tree in her room.
He went for a ride on Hazel's doll horse.
He took a nap in the top bunk of her doll bunk beds. And of course he had to use the quilt Mimi made her dolls!
He used the phone to spread the news of Jesus!!
He visited with Hazel's fish, Brian. Some of my favorites however have been when I have left him in plan sight doing something like hosting a meeting to tell her dolls and animals about Jesus.
Checking out Baby Jesus in the manger we made last Christmas at church. This is where he was with the note in his backpack.
Then today I used an elastic on his hands and had him kneeling in front of a cross so he could be praying.
She didn't quite get he was praying, but when I told her, she left his hands together, because she liked him praying.
I love that the mouse and the miracle is about the true meaning of Christmas. The message is to spread God's love. It is such a wonderful way to bring the meaning back into Christmas and the mouse is so much cuter (and not creepy) than the elf. I think the best part is there is no mention of Santa. The mouse does not have to report to God since God can see us at all times.
The story in the book is simple and to the point. The mouse is well made and a good quality. Oriental Trading also has many different products to use with these if you wanted to use it in a church school or group. They have crafts and reader books sold by the dozen. I have to highly recommend this for anyone who wants to put Jesus back into Christmas for their family!!
For some more Christmas ideas check out:
- A Few Nativity Crafts
- Multicultural Christmas Books
- Advent Week 4: Love
- Advent Craft Calendar
- Advent Wreaths
- Advent Week 1: Hope
- Advent Week 2: Peace
- Advent Week 3: Joy
- Advent Calendar Round-Up
- Fruit Christmas Trees
- Christmas Craft Round-Up 2011-2013
- Focus on the Nativity
- My Must Read Christmas Book Pinterest Board
- My Advent Pinterest Board
- My Christmas Pinterest Board
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