The Weasel of Christmas: An Idea Whose Time has Come

"Christmas Weasel. by ~Leechman"

At last! The much-maligned weasel is receiving the attention usually frittered away on the likes of Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, and that red-nosed Rudolph.

Leechman's tribute to the Yuletide Weasel is on the Deviant Art website. What can I say? That lot even lets some of my stuff get online. (Norski)

Okay: unabashed self-promotion done; now back to the weasel.

Minnesota, my home, proudly supports three species of weasels. Okay: maybe not "proudly," but you'll find short-tailed weasel, long-tailed weasels, and the least weasel. And, no: short-tailed weasels are not long-tailed weasels that lost an argument with a snow blower.

Short-tailed weasels are a different species - and, if you like, you can call them "ermine."

Which raises an interesting question: Why does "ermine" remind some folks of European royalty, and "weasel" of unsavory characters? Which, now that I think of it, have occasionally been the same individuals. Never mind.

Something I learned about weasels, researching this post: They glow in the dark. Or, rather, their coat fluoresces when you shine ultraviolet light ("black light" we called it, back when) on them.

Which should have made them popular party animals, back in the sixties.

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