When the Lights Go Out at Merrill Mischief
I have this fantasy that after we lock up at night, the store goes full-on “Night at the Museum.”
I imagine the high-heeled hippo with the cookie tray gossiping with the straight-laced Victorian angel, while the violin-playing frog hops a ride on the Christmas train that circles the ceiling.
Surely, Harry Potter, Snoopy, and the Grinch team up to challenge Pluto, Irish Santa, and Olaf in a high-spirited game of Candy Land. Meanwhile, the gnomes and Dalmatians head straight for the Ferris wheel in the front window, riding round and round all night as they peek out at the passersby.
Well, it could happen. With all the glitter, fairy dust, and chocolate wands in the place, something magical is bound to take place.
When I lock up each night, I follow a ritual: ceiling lights first, then the fudge counter, then the backroom and office. I climb the stairs to the mezzanine to switch off the sixteen-foot Christmas tree and the fifteen-foot lighted arch in Santa’s living room. On the way back down, the glow from the main floor trees and the Disney village still fills the room with warmth.
And I swear—just before I flip the last power strip—Winnie-the-Pooh gives me a little wink from his perch atop a Christmas tree.
As I head for the front door, I turn back to see the tropical Christmas palm still shining, tiki hut and flamingo ornaments casting a soft glow. I can never quite bring myself to turn that one off.
One night, I may just hide behind the fudge counter and see what really happens after dark—like a kid sneaking a peek for Santa. (Okay, fine, maybe I did try that once or twice… only to wake up the next morning still behind the couch.)
Maybe it’s all the wonder in the kids’ eyes rubbing off on me:
“Mom, there’s Olaf!”
“I love Snoopy—look at him ice skating!”
“Hagrid on his motorcycle is so cool!”
“Here comes the Christmas Train again!”
“What flavor of fudge do you think Santa likes best?”
Everything in the store comes to life several times a day through our little visitors’ eyes. So really, it’s not such a stretch to believe it might all come alive for real—after all, magic happens here every day