For decades, “Pip the Mouse” has been a holiday icon of the Lehigh Valley.

Just in time for the holidays, “The Mouse Before Christmas,” puppet show, starring Pip, will appear at the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum on four very special days with two show times each day.

The program will take place 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Nov. 28-29 and Dec. 26-27.

The presentations are funded in partnership with the Pennsylvania Tourism Office.

Pip the Mouse debuted in a show window of Hess Brothers Department store in Allentown Oct. 27, 1962 and proved more sensational than anyone could have imagined.

The puppet theater, with its famous show of “The Mouse Before Christmas” was created by Dr. George R. Creegan and his wife, along with the Bliss Company of New York.

It tells the fascinating story of how a house mouse helped Santa deliver holiday gifts.

Since 1962, this puppet show has been enjoyed by tens of thousands of Lehigh Valley children and out of state visitors.

The 45-minute program emphasizes learning and personal values.

In the first half of the show, PIP The Mouse comes out to greet the audience.

He is interviewed by a staff member of the museum with an ensuing discussion on the importance of being kind to people and animals.

PIP explains how he educated himself by reading books and watching Sesame Street. He encourages children to always do their best.

Children in the audience are engaged through questions and ideas that allow some interaction directly with PIP through questions and answers, as PIP speaks directly to the audience.

Thomas the Tank Engine, a world icon, also offers entertainment on those dates in the museum’s Thomas Room.

Here, children can watch Thomas the Tank Engine and his friend Percy travel the rails with an L-gauge model railroad layout operating in the Thomas Room.

Children can color pictures of Thomas, and enjoy other railroad activities.

The Thomas Fun Room will be open 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Nov. 28-29 and Dec. 26-27.

Admission is included with your admission to the Heritage Museum and the Pip the Mouse show.

The Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum is a teaching institution that attracts a diverse audience.

Its collections of historical Americana, located primarily at its headquarters, the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum, 432 W. Walnut St., Allentown, include over 35,000 three-dimensional objects, 3 million historical documents and more than 200,000 plus vintage photographs.

Regular museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Regular admission is free to members; there is a charge for nonmembers and children under 3 are admitted for free.

Parking is available in the rear of the museum, on the street and in nearby lots.

For more information, contact Jill Youngken, assistant director and chief curator director, at 610-435-1074. Visit www.lehighvalleyheritagemuseum.org.