Hare-iette's Christmas Story

Copyright © 2003 Carol Bastian All Rights Reserved

This is what Hare-iette told me about last year at Boyds Bear Country. Last year, 2002, was the first year BBC was open. Hare-iette and about 40,000 other bears and hares were all there waiting to be adopted. Hare-iette was so sure that with Christmas coming, she would get adopted and finally have a real home.

It was getting close to Christmas tho, only a few days left, and still no family for Hare-iette.

Then one night after closing, there was a terrible ruckus on the roof. Then, BOOOOM! Something big fell down into the big fireplace. Whatever it was scattered ashes and soot and cinders all over the floor and let out a loud cry of pain. Many of the little bears and hares ran and hid but Hare-iette sneaked closer to see what it was. (We all know by now that she is pretty curious.) She saw Santa, brushing the ashes off his red suit and rubbing his sore knee. He must have hurt it when he landed.

Hare-iette watched as Santa went all through the big red barn. He was consulting a long list and picking out many bears and other critters. Those bears and other critters were told to wait for him near the fireplace. When he came to Hare-iette, she asked what he was doing. He smiled at her and told her he was taking thousands of these critters with him in his sleigh and would leave them in their new homes on Christmas morning.

Hare-iette got so excited! "Take me! Take me! I want a home sooo badly!", she begged. Santa checked his list and then looked at her sadly and patted her head. "I'm sorry", he said, "but none of the children has asked for a large hare this year." Hare-iette was so disappointed, she started to cry. Santa gave her a hug and told her not to cry, perhaps the Easter Bunny would take her at Easter time. There are more requests for hares at Easter.

Hare-iette tried, but she could not stop crying. Santa felt so bad for her that he sprinkled a little Christmas dust on her. He told her that the Christmas dust was magic and would make her wish for a good home come true. He promised that she would be in her new home before he returned to BBC the following Christmas.

As it turned out, the Easter Bunny didn't take her either because he needed little bunnies that would fit in Easter baskets. So Hare-iette cried herself to sleep again that night.

At last, her wish came true when I adopted her and brought her home. She knew the Santa at the mall was the real Santa because she had met him before. When she whispered to him, it wasn't to ask for presents. It was to thank him for the Christmas dust.

Then Hare-iette put her arms around me and said,"Merry Christmas, Mom". It's the first time she ever called me "Mom".

After hearing her story I started to wonder.. What was it that drew me to Gettysburg in June? I'd planned to go there someday, but not for a long time. When I got there, I thought I'd just get a tee-shirt and a little bear.....so what drew me immediately to that bin of 30" bunnies? They all looked the same, so what made me fall instantly in love with that one particular big, floppy-earred hare? Could it have been Christmas dust?

Click to see Hare-iette's Christmas Surprises!