It's beginning to look a lot like....

Christmas!

I think this tree might be big enough for all the presents to fit. 

...And there is the Big Guy, himself!  (that's me, peeking in the side)

By the time I made it downstairs, I was so excited to give Mr. Claus all the wish lists from the pod, find out what kinds of cookies he and the reindeer want for their Christmas Eve snack, give him a big hippo hug, and get his autograph, I forgot to take a picture. 

At least I have another two weeks to let him taste test the cookies, amend our lists, and take more pictures!

Zoo Presents

It was a cold January in Washington, D.C., so Hippo spent most of his time inside enjoying all his fun Christmas presents:


A snazzy tie, lots of candy, a paper hippo art project, some zoo animals, and a National Zoo T-shirt!


Hippo did venture out to visit Tai Shan and show him his National Zoo spirit.


But Tai Shan was more interested in munching on bamboo.


The Przewalski's horses never seems to mind cold weather.


But the cows seem frozen in place.


The orangutans enjoy playing ghost. Or abominable snowman.

Little Christmas

Today is Epiphany / Feast of the Three Kings, a holiday marking the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas and celebrating the arrival of three kings bearing gifts. Hippo is waiting patiently to give and receive all our own little hippo gifts tonight.


In the meantime we'll be shaking the presents, snacking on carrots and cookies, and playing games. We hope you have a day just as fun. Merry Little Christmas!

Loukoumades

Hippo had a very exciting birthday party this year! Hundreds of people gathered at the Greek cathedral near his house. They played music, cooked gyros and souvlaki, and a nice man fried up a fresh batch of his favorite snack: loukoumades – Greek donut holes drenched in honey and sprinkled with cinnamon.


Later, Hippo tore into his birthday presents: a hippopotamus sports jersey, a really cool diving sub (we think we saw great uncle Happy playing with one in his pool), and a comfy flatopotamus for sitting on and keeping warm.

O Christmas Tree

Little Christmas has passed, so Hippo will take the tree down soon. Before he does, he wanted to share a picture of his nifty origami tree.



Not all of the presents were for Hippo--he had to share.
But he did get some good presents from Santapotamus!

Plentiful gifts

Apparently Hippo was very good this year. The Three Kings and other humans showered gifts upon him. Just opening them all was exhausting.


In addition to the festive sombrero he received early, Hippo also got a warm knit sweater to keep him toasty through the winter. In the spring he can play with his new baseball bat, ball, and glove.


He also has his very own little hippo-sized game of Hungry Hungry Hippos. There's a book about another young hippo who was adopted by an old, old tortoise. And Hippo has a travel-sized tiny hippo playmate, Smiley.

Looking for Santa

The weather has turned cold, snow has fallen, and we've finally finished the turkey from Thanksgiving. So that means it's time for Christmas! Hippo's looking all over for where Santa hid the presents.