It was the night before Christmas and all through the house,
Sherlock Kitty was searching for his catnip mouse.
He thought he had left it downstairs by the chair,
But when he arrived, the mouse wasn't there.

"A mystery," he thought, as he looked round in frustration,
His high hopes for some fun were now in deflation.
"Perhaps Dr. Boo will know!" and, with a bound,
Sherlock Kitty pounced on his friend close by sleeping sound.

"Ouch and be-bother!" exclaimed Dr. Boo.
"I'm under attack...oh, Sherlock, it's you!"
With a wink and a nod and a mysterious smile
The two cats were at work on a new mystery file.

"I had it this morning," confessed Dr. Boo,
"You know how I love to give catnip a chew."
"Humpf!" said Sherlock, not very impressed,
"The way that you lose things leaves me distressed."

"I do apologize heartily!" declared Dr. Boo,
"I'll get another for Christmas, that I will do.
"I'll get you a green one with fake whiskers that smell
"Exactly like catnip; oh, it'll be swell!"

"See that you do," grumbled S.K.
"You should go out and get it this very day."
"Agreed," stated Dr. Boo, matter-of-factly,
"I know where to get it for sure and exactly."

And later that night, for it was Christmas Eve,
A package appeared wrapped to deceive.
For to fool Sherlock Kitty was difficult stuff,
His detective powers being quite up to snuff.

And all through the night as the two kitties slept,
Santa Claus arrived, his footsteps adept.
He left lovely packages wrapped up in bows,
And quick as a wink, up the chimney he rose.

And when it was morning and they looked at the tree
There were presents for all, and it was all they could see.
"Aha!" exclaimed Sherlock, as he spied out a package,
"My nose tells me that inside isn't a cabbage!"

"Tee-hee and tra-la," sang Dr. Boo,
"Look at the label, it's from me to you!"
"It's moving," said Sherlock as he shook it around,
And didn't he hear a faint squeaking sound?

In a trice it was open and there in the wrap,
Sat Waldo the Mouse in a red and green cap.
"I'm dizzy! I'm dizzy!" he muttered and then
Sat down in a heap and said it again.

"Waldo the Mouse, what are you doing inside?
"It's the silliest place for a live mouse to hide!"
"Um...he's your new catnip mouse," exclaimed Dr. Boo,
"I got him on sale and he's ready for you!"

Sherlock Kitty sat back and he looked at his friend,
"Dr. Boo," he said flatly, "this is the end.
"There's no time for fibbing on this Christmas Day,
Waldo is no catnip mouse I'm sorry to say."

"Oh, Sherlock, how embarrassed I am!
"The stores were all closed and I was in quite a jam.
"And then I met Waldo and he did kindly agree,
"To get into the box I put under the tree."

"Dizzy," said Waldo, now covered in wrap,
Stuck like a mouse inside a mousetrap.
"Here, let me help you," and Sherlock released him,
And gave him some cheese wrapped in some trim.

"Dr. Boo," he said, licking a paw,
"There is an explanation for what I just saw."
And he noted the tear spilling down Dr. Boo's cheek
And he wiped it away gently before he could speak.

"You're the most wonderful friend that a cat ever had,
You made me feel good so don't you feel bad.
"It's the spirit of giving, not an old catnip toy,
It's the warmth of our friendship and the feeling of joy."

"It is?" whispered Dr. Boo with delicate snuffle,
"It is!" replied Sherlock, "it's no big kerfuffle!"
So they returned to their presents and opened them all,
And the wrapping and ribbons filled up the hall.

And inside the last box from their dear friend, the Human,
Were two catnip mice named Bessie and Truman.
They weren't live catnip mice so it was certainly okay,
For the two cats to play with them all Christmas Day.

And Dr. Boo learned that friendship survives all mistakes,
If the two friends are willing to give more than take.

Happy Holidays!

© 1997 David Boyd

Activities for You!

1. See if you can write your own "Night Before Christmas." Use your pets as the stars!

2. Do you and your friends or brothers and sisters make mistakes sometimes? What mistakes might be called "friendship mistakes"? What did Dr. Boo learn about friendship?

3. On your computer, make a slide show of this poem. --Or make one of the real "Night Before Christmas".

4. Use "find" and "replace" on your computer to change the names of the pets in this poem to the names of your pets or pets you like very much. Then read the story to your parents and grandparents.

5. Think about the holiday season. Why do you enjoy it? What people in your life make the holiday season very special for you? What might you do for them?

6. Dr. Boo and Sherlock Kitty are mystery solvers. Can you think of a good mystery they might solve in their next adventure? Maybe you'd like to send your ideas to them. Press this button if you'd like to send a message to the very famous Dr. Boo.

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