For decades, “Pip the Mouse” has been a holiday staple 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 three very special days.

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

The announcement was made by Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum Executive Director Joseph Garrera.

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

The puppet theater, with its famous tale 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 charming story of how a house mouse helped Santa deliver holiday gifts.

Since 1962 this puppet show has been beloved by generations of Lehigh Valley children.

“We are thrilled to bring Pip to life again for the children of the Lehigh Valley,” Garrera said.

Performances of “The Mouse Before Christmas” will be 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Dec. 26-28 at the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum, 432 W. Walnut St., Allentown. Each show will include a performance of the puppet show and a live appearance by Pip the Mouse himself.

This is made possible by grant funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community and Economic Development.

Admission to the program is free to members. There is a charge for adult nonmembers and for nonmember children ages 2-11 (under age 2 are free).

Thomas the Tank Engine, a world icon, will also occupy a place of excitement on those dates in the museum’s Fun Room.

Here, children can watch Thomas the Tank Engine and his friend Percy travel the rails.

Children can even color pictures of Thomas and enjoy railroad crafts and activities.

The Thomas the Tank Engine Fun Room will be open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 26-28 and 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, include over 35,000 three-dimensional objects, three million documents and more than 200,000 plus vintage photographs.

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

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

For more information, contact Garrera at 484-553-2592 (cell) any time of day or at 610-435-1074.

For more information, visit lehighvalleyheritagemuseum.org.