Bing Crosby as Bob Wallace White Christmas Doll

Have a little acknowledgement to make:  I had never watched the movie 'White Christmas' until Nat and I were married and we were buying our own Christmas trees.  Was never on my radar.  But, in what has become a pretty strong holiday tradition, Nat puts this movie on our tv on 'Christmas tree Day' and we watch it as we bring the tree in the house, set it up in the stand and trim it together.  Welp...we usually don't trim it that much that first night - rather we prefer to let the branches fall/settle and then put most of the ornaments on the next night.

So, that's where this dollie comes in.  You can see him above that Bing Crosby as "Bob Wallace".  Funny isn't it?  But this is what the Babe came home with from the Pre-Christmas train show.  She saw it on one of the tables, liked it, then looked around for another hour or so and decided that she wanted it.  So we went back.

I always try to make the kids do their own haggling in situations like this and due to her estate sale/garage sale training...she did a good job of hitting the vendor with her opening line of: "What's the best you'll do on the White Christmas dollie?".  The vendor was almost surprised.  Taken aback that this little girl wanted this doll.  But...she pressed on and the vendor came down about half price.

So, the Babe came away happy with a new Christmas dollie.  And I came away happy knowing that Natalie has had a pretty strong impression on my big girl during the holidays tradition-wise.

And, speaking of White Christmas.  Pretty great, eh?  That scene when the General comes in at the end and all his men start singing and marching and line up for inspection?  Not quite Rudy-level tear-jerking happening, but pretty close.