American Girl

Dear Friends,

How did you fare in the Great Heat Wars of 2023? I battled mightily with the thermostat in my parents apartment and lost. The climate remained that of a hothouse. No wonder my mother’s orchids are thriving.

Seriously, though, we had a very nice Thanksgiving. Among many other fun activities, we visited the American Girl Doll Store to have “tea.” Michaela’s American Girl journey started during the pandemic. We were deep in isolation in Cambridge and I was struggling to find ways to keep Michaela from spending hours in front of a screen. Then we received a gift of two American Girl dolls from dear Megan Marshall, along with a chest of beautiful clothes, accessories, and furniture—including a miniature lamp with a real lightbulb. The dolls belonged to her daughters when they were young, and are now a treasured fixture in our house. They have been used to play “school,” or “wedding,” or “Anastasia, lost princess of Russia.” (Thank you so, so much, Megan!)

Tea at the American Girl Doll Store is clearly a long-standing tradition for many people, based on the teenage girls I saw waiting in line who even brought their own dolls. But it was the first time for us, and Michaela and her cousin Emily were in heaven. Oscar, Emily’s brother, was a little less enthralled but he was a good sport about the whole thing.

Despite always having a soft spot for American Girl Dolls, and seeing how much Michaela loves hers, I dreaded going to “tea.” The company started with three different dolls. There are a bajillion dolls now, and the store encompasses two expansive floors. On the second floor there was a “Main Street” on which one walks to the restaurant, passing a hair salon, bookstore, ice cream shop, candy store, and myriad other places where you could take your doll and buy stuff for it.

Speaking of play, tonight Michaela and I finished playing the Nintendo game Blanc. It’s a two-person cooperative game, and we really enjoyed it. The two main characters are a fox and a deer. (Michaela was the fox, naturally.) I recommend it for younger kids, especially if you’re looking for a two-player that isn’t just racing cars and tallying scores. Added bonus: it is set in a snowy location, which makes you feel cozy when you’re playing it during winter.

Any recommendations for similar games would be very welcome!

I hope you all have a cozy weekend, with or without dolls.

Love,

Claire

P.S. I was sad to learn that Shane MacGowan died. My first thought was that I bet Brian O’Donovan will do a tribute to him on Celtic Sojourn this weekend, and then I remembered that O’Donovan recently passed, too. I imagine that the two of them, along with Sinead O’Connor, are together on the other side drinking a pint of Guinness. Slainte.