Forrest Gump famously quoted his Mama in saying “Life is like a box of chocolates,” and that’s all well and good until someone leaves a box of chocolate out to share and someone else decides to overshare. We’re still trying to figure out who the culprit is, but it wasn’t a mouse who left a half-bitten chocolate in a box of Whitman’s on the freebie cabinet at The Bee last week. I didn’t think it was a mouse because I keep most of them at bay. Bee Dogs don’t get chocolate, so that leaves one more option: a human Bee decided they didn’t want one of those little bits of yumminess after testing it and thought someone else might enjoy it? Yuck!

Meanwhile, it seems if you leave Peeps around long enough, not only do they harden but in some cases they become very attractive to naughty mice. It seems I’ve missed at least one hiding in the myriad nooks and crannies of the building I call my work home, because at least one has discovered the Bee Publishing Company Peeps Diorama Permanent Display in our Production department. For the past few years we’ve kept our Peeps Dioramas on view year-round, and they’ve been left alone. It was discovered last week, however, that some little creature had taken a liking to "Campfire Tails," the 2023 Peeps Diorama Contest winner created by Lynn Remson. All five of the Peeps in that beautiful display have been nibbled away. The only thing left behind were the colored sugar-covered dabs of glue that once held those Peeps in place.

We’ve since discovered the unseen creature has also helped itself to at least all of the Peeps within “Rocky Horror Peepture Show,” Noelle Veillette’s 2023 entry; one ear of a Kansas City Peep within Shannon Hicks’s “2024 Super Bowl Champions: Kansas City Peeps” diorama from this year; and even one of the Peeps within “Bowling For Peeps,” Sherri and Sophia Baggett’s 2023 collaboration.

We did find it amusing that our little critter has absolutely no interest in Shannon’s funereal entry from last year, “Rest In Peeps (A Tribute To Ira “Bob” Born).” Even mice don’t want to visit a funeral scene, even one honoring the man who revolutionized the process that creates marshmallow forms and was known as The Father of Peeps. It was also uninterested in Shannon’s 2022 entry, “Limu Emu and Peep.” Lynn Remson surmises that may have something to do with the Peep — a/k/a Doug from the Liberty Mutual Insurance commercials — being hidden behind his character’s disguise of aviator glasses and a very bushy moustache.

Congratulations to the Newtown Salvation Army for a very successful local 2024 Red Kettle Campaign! Despite the cancellation of ringing on December 21 — when temperatures were so frigid and the (smart!) decision was made to have bell ringers remain at home that day — this year’s event collected $13,117 and counting as of December 27. At least one kettle location was set up on Friday, December 6, at Newtown Community Center, and then donations were collected at multiple locations across town on Friday and Saturday, December 13-14; and Friday, December 20. I understand 27 people served as bell ringers this year.

A reminder this week that we at 5 Church Hill Road are looking forward to introducing readers to The 2025 First Baby of Newtown. Two dozen local businesses have promised prizes to the parents and newborn. We’re counting on their parents to reach out. This year’s honoree will win for their family everything from dining opportunities and champagne to savings bonds, salon visits, and even fitness and home services, all courtesy of local businesses. A one-year subscription or renewal to The Newtown Bee is also within the prize package, of course. The winning baby will also continue a tradition now entering its 67th year!

The winning parents will be the ones who send the earliest birthdate (and time, if necessary, to break a tie) to The Newtown Bee by noon Monday, January 6. Parents must be Newtown residents and will need to submit the exact time and date of the child’s birth; their name and address; and the place of birth, gender, weight, and name of the newborn. Friends, family, and neighbors of newborns, you can help too: Make sure the parents of any Newtown newborns know about this honorary title and all the prizes that come with it. Parents and friends should contact Newtown Bee Managing Editor Shannon Hicks at 203-426-3141 or shannon@thebee.com with this information. The winners will be notified that afternoon and will hopefully be available for an interview in time for the January 10, 2025, issue of The Newtown Bee.

If we get the heavy snow being predicted for the end of this week and/or early next week, Susan Leniart says we should blame Lynn Remson. Susie and Lynn are part of the team in our Production department responsible for the changing outfits of Bruce the Spruce. Lynn recently thought it would be a fun time to turn the artificial tree into Bruce the Snowstorm Spruce, which she did very successfully, as evidenced by this photo. Within a few days of the latest transformation, however, the weather reports started filling with talk of that S word so many people hate, including Susie.

I’ll let you in on a fun little secret about Bruce the Snowstorm Spruce: If you look closely at his big snowflake, it spells his name.

At least a dozen new state laws took effect this week. Connecticut’s paid sick leave has been expanded (with further expansions to go into effect the next two years), absentee ballot application changes will hopefully make voting more secure, and an expansion of employer student loan reimbursement is among the new legislation.

You know what isn’t new? My love of gathering information and sharing it with readers. I’m going to start the next collection now, and will share it with you when you come back next week and … read me again.